CHICAGO - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will open the Women Business Owners Symposium at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) on Friday. The Symposium brings together more than 1,100 women business owners and innovators to network and develop strategies to continue growing their businesses.
Later Friday afternoon, Simon will honor students, staff and faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Women's Resource Center for their work in promoting social justice, equality and empowerment of girls. Among other initiatives, the Center promotes domestic violence awareness on campus and hosts workshops on women's health topics. The Center marked its fourth anniversary on campus in February.
"I was fortunate to have a strong female role model in my mother, a lawyer and legislator back when few women were either one," said Simon, a former prosecutor who handled domestic violence cases, among others. "The women I'm talking with tomorrow are leading by example - running their own businesses, working to end domestic violence and fighting for equality. Our state will be a better place if we continue to empower young women to be our future leaders."
Friday, March 29
EVENT: Women Business Owners Symposium
TIME: 1 p.m.
PLACE: UIC Forum, 701 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago
EVENT: Women's Resource Center Awards Ceremony
TIME: 5 p.m.
PLACE: Alice Campbell Alumni Center, 601 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana
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