Women’s Initiative for Entrepreneurship and Leadership Development
![]() WIELD Texas is a two-year program credit-bearing program and is committed to advancing the number of women in executive leadership and is a program open to all students regardless of their background. WIELD Texas cultivates a unique curriculum tailored for diverse women that allow students to learn from a unique lens of leadership centered around heart-centered, trauma-informed, and responsive leadership. All students are welcome to join and the topics throughout the semester will highlight women in leadership and have case studies exploring alternative forms of leadership. They will learn entrepreneurship skills and develop a company within a team. WIELD Texas is open to all students regardless of race, color, gender, and/or national origin. Male students are also welcome to apply to the program as well as white female students. |
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Students
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Are you interested in entrepreneurship and want to want to sharpen your leadership skills? Are you between 18-25 years of age? Are you enrolled at UT? Are you a freshman or sophomore?
What’s Included? The 2-year program includes:
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Why WIELD?
Our goal is to help create an inclusive economy where our aspiring female leaders can serve in executive leadership roles or launch their own ventures within ten years of graduating from the University of Texas and this program.
ProblemWomen, especially Black and Latine women, face challenges around equal pay and upward career mobility, and they have the lowest amount of capital invested in their ventures from the angel and venture capital community. |
OpportunityThe program focuses on social impact through a combination of product management training, human-centered design, and cultivating business ideas that serve the greater good. |
WIELD TexasWIELD offers invaluable enrichment activities that strengthen students’ understanding of entrepreneurial thinking and leadership approaches, giving them the foundation to effect social change through inclusive innovation. |
Cultivating female entrepreneurship and upward mobility within the corporate executive ranks
Skills for SuccessThis program will offer training on soft skills such as negotiation, career exploration, navigation, managing up, building teams, managing teams, and interviewing. |
InternshipsWIELD Texas participants will be placed in specific roles within organizations working within middle and upper management to gain insight into the duties and decision-making involved at the executive level. This internship will be coupled with a project deliverable for their portfolio at the end. |
MentorshipWe have assembled a great list of executive advisors and through their networks, we will build a robust network of women who are looking to mentor, sponsor, and coach WIELD Texas participants into executive-level roles. |
Startup FundingWIELD Texas participants will be able to qualify for a seed grant to be awarded during their second year, upon successful completion of their first-year assignments. This funding will be used to help launch their micro-venture or launch a community impact project. |
Immersive Support
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Connect
There are some extraordinary people helping to make us great! |
Meet the Advisory Board |
Our Impact
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![]() – Valeria Colunga, Inaugural WIELD Texas Cohort, Graduate of Class of 2022, UT Austin. |
Get involved with WIELD Texas
![]() StudentsJoin us and start making your education work for you. |
ProfessionalsBecome a mentor or provide a guest lecture. Help us train for tomorrow. |
![]() BusinessesHost an internship, provide a workplace tour or make a donation. |