Andrea Osborne is the Corporate Director of Content for Capitol Broadcasting Company. She covers CBC’s internal content and has shared coverage of the TechGirlz and Capitol Women’s Network event. See inside pictures from the event and read all about the fun had by both the girls that attended and professionals that led the day! The full article was originally published August 13, 2018 on Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc.

Fifty middle school girls in the Triangle recently got to learn about professional careers in technology and news thanks to a service project of the Capitol Women’s Network (CWN). CBC created the CWN in 2016, to help women in our company connect and develop both professionally and personally. And those women used their 2018 project to pass that support along to female students through a program created by the non-profit TechGirlz.

“I am so impressed and a little jealous of the variety of opportunities and subject matter that kids are exposed to today and at such young ages,” said AU Director of Events/Property Management Sarah Beck. “I love that they were able to hear from and interact with all these intelligent and professional women and learn about what they do to help Capitol Broadcasting succeed. Listening to the panel of women speak and give advice and share about their life experiences was so invigorating, something we all need to hear, no matter what age.”

Inspiring the Next Generation of Women

NMG Account Executive Lisa Chappell coordinated the effort on behalf of CWN, as part of the group assigned to explore service project opportunities for the organization

“I jumped at the chance to be on the committee to identify a service project for CWN,” she said. “So many of the service projects I’ve been involved in here have been cleaning, digging, planting, building etc. Those are all genuine needs and great opportunities to serve, but I LOVED the idea of our CWN ladies utilizing their brains, education, and technical skills to influence younger women regarding their future and the role technology can play in a variety of career paths.”

CWN members volunteered in a myriad of roles from greeting the TechGirlz participants as they arrive, escorting groups to the studio, leading a tour of the newsroom, and teaching the key workshop, News Story Production. The professional women interacted with the girls, serving as positive role models and examples of what the girls can hope to achieve.

“We have an incredibly bright and accomplished group of women in CWN,” said Chappell, “and as we work to discover and tap deeper into our own strengths, the chance to encourage and inspire a new generation of women seemed a perfect fit with our mission of professional and personal development.”

The CWN members jumped at the chance to share their stories.

“Feel the fear and do it anyway,” WRAL-TV Account Executive Ayanna Carver told the TechGirlz participants. “Be willing to step outside your comfort zone.”

Carver and a number of other CWN members interacted with the girls, sharing about their jobs and asking questions.

“I had the BEST time engaging with all the TechGirlz!” said Beck. “What a remarkable group of young ladies! It made me feel like a kid again, and I already look forward to hosting them in Raleigh and Durham again soon.”