The University of Texas Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) is launching WIELD Texas, a women’s executive career incubator. WIELD (or  Women’s Initiative on Entrepreneurship and Leadership Development) Texas is an initiative of DDCE’s Office of Inclusive Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

In its inaugural year, WIELD Texas will accept 25 aspiring and remarkable women who will be paired with Austin’s top female mentors across all sectors of industry.  The executives who are helping shape this program include SandersWingo Advertising CEO Leslie Wingo, District 2 City Councilwoman and Mayor Pro-Tem Delia Garza, and Patsi Woods Martin, founder of Annies List and I Live Here I Give Here.

This two-year program is targeted to juniors and seniors who have applied and demonstrated leadership potential and capacity to take an executive-level path upon leaving the University. Our goal is for these women to reach an executive-level position within the corporate world or launch their own ventures within ten years of leaving the University.

“Women have historically been at the back of the line when it comes to promotions, upward career mobility, and in receiving venture capital for their businesses. The statistics are more disappointing when you consider women of color and women of color from the LGBTQ community,” said Director of Inclusive Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Rubén Cantú.

“If we believe in equality then we must invest in creating programs that result in equity for all of our counterparts. We are stronger when everyone can contribute to the economy and wield power to shape their destiny and positively impact their community,” Cantú explained.

“We look forward to seeing and shaping these phenomenal women to become our nation’s future executives. We believe in our students and we believe in giving them the resources to be successful. That continues to align with our vision of investing, innovating, and including all within our community,” said Vice President of Diversity and Community Engagement, Leonard N. Moore.

For more information, please visit WIELD Texas.