Organized through a collaboration between the SUNY Brockport School of Business and Management and the Brockport Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the evening featured multiple opportunities for student-industry engagement. Undergraduate and graduate students interacted directly with professionals, gaining practical insights into career pathways, entrepreneurship, and emerging business trends. This format highlighted the increasing importance of experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for workforce demands.
The program’s keynote address, delivered by Lindsay Ward, emphasized the importance of confidence and resilience, weaving in her personal journey to becoming a leader of the SBDC. Complementing this message, SUNY Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development, Chris White, discussed the role of artificial intelligence in modern business practices, emphasizing both the value of networking and the ethical considerations surrounding technology adoption.
Guiding the evening’s program was Jana Craft, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Business and Management at SUNY Brockport, whose role as emcee created continuity across the sessions and facilitated a smooth progression of activities.
The InnovateHER event exemplifies the potential of university-industry partnerships to promote workforce readiness, foster innovation, and strengthen regional economic development. By engaging students directly with industry leaders, the event served as both an educational experience and a networking platform, demonstrating how collaborative programming can contribute to the development of future business leaders.