Future Female Professionals Association helps prepare women for the professional workforce

Elizabeth Heglar | Assistant Lifestyles Editor

Looking for organizations that will help you make professional connections out in the real world? The new Future Female Professionals’ Association just might be for you.

This organization works to connect students with professionals around Wilmington. One of its goals is to close the gender divide and aid women in achieving positions of power within their field of choice.

“The ultimate goal of the Female Future Professionals’ Association is to level the playing field of professional opportunities for young women,” said the organization’s president, Cara Gray.

Gray is not the only one who feels this is important. Members such as Nada Marghani are equally as enthusiastic about the goals of this organization.

“We need to stand together and help pave the way for other women who are trying to succeed. We need to support each other and make sure that we all have the same opportunities to succeed regardless of gender, race, religion or any other factor. That is exactly what this club seeks to do,” said Marghani.

In 1972, the percentage of women in the work force was a mere 38%. The percentage of women in the workforce spiked dramatically in 2013, going from less than 40% to roughly 47%, according to the Department for Professional Employees. Keep in mind that this is a percentage of women in the workforce, not in management positions or positions of power such as CEO or company president.

Although progress is certainly being made, it isn’t quite enough for the Future Female Professionals’ Association’s leader.

“As women, we need to break through the societal stigmas that are keeping us from holding 50% of top leadership positions. Anything less than 50% means that we’re still internalizing sexism and letting others get away with it… when women aren’t given the opportunities to reach their full potential, everyone misses out on their brilliance,” said Gray while explaining why she felt this is such a demanding issue.

Other goals are to match each student with their own professional mentor, create an environment that exudes support and intelligence, connect students with internship opportunities and incite discussion on a versatile number of topics.

Aside from matching members with a Wilmington-based professional and internship, the Future Female Professionals’ Association also aims to create a book club within itself. Primarily by reading autobiographical and professional works with a female baseline, the overall goal of this book club is to help expand members’ horizons and show them that there are women who have worked hard and achieved success despite the gender gap.

Title IX doesn’t allow the organization to be exclusive to females, but the group still maintains a female oriented focus. The group acts as a sort of “affirmative action” for women attempting to blossom in their careers.

“It’s open to all genders – anyone who wants to support the careers of young women can join. However, there are limitations facing women in the workforce that men just don’t face,” said Gray. “Young women are still pressured to think foremost about prioritizing starting a family, and this distracts them from their own goals and limits their potential for success.”

Gray is most excited about matching the young professionals with their mentors and assisting them in finding internships.

“I want this organization to inspire women and make them truly fall in love with their career path so that they never limit themselves,” said Gray.

The ultimate goal of matching members with a mentor is to get them placed with someone relevant to their degree and career aspirations. Aiming to open doors and possible career opportunities, the Future Female Professionals’ Association is off to a good start.

The organization maintains its female focus, but anyone who joins would be matched with a mentor and welcomed in. The groups interest meeting was held in late March, and their second meeting was held on April 4. To get information about their next meeting, which will be held on Monday, April 18, email the association’s president Cara Gray at [email protected].