A Great Experience at The Illuminate x Durham Case Study Conference!

Hi everyone! My name is Sarmica Mohanarajah and I am a Grade 10 student at Agincourt Collegiate Institute. Today, I had the pleasure to attend Illuminate x Durham’s regional conference. Here are my thoughts highlighting what I learned about the future of women in STEM and Leadership from the conference. Women should continue supporting women and that although certain stereotypes can decrease the chance of one trying to achieve their goals, it is always important for one to try their best and to never give up. This also proves that women are strong. A quote that was said in Andrea Gunraj’s presentation was “Until all of us have made it, none of us have made it.” This was really inspiring because it is saying how we are all in this together, and if one needs help, we are all by each other's side, available to guide everyone into the strongest path. What I learned from this is that we must be around a good environment with people that are willing to assist us when needed. What I most enjoyed about Illuminate x Durham’s conference is that there were polls that we can participate in. I liked this because it was interesting to see how other people view each question and their perspectives on it. I also enjoyed watching others’ presentations on the case studies because I found it interesting to see how different groups interpreted the case study and what kind of solution they came up with. I will apply my learning in my future career goals and personal development because there were many things I learned today such as my years at University and my postgraduate school. I will also use a statement I heard today in my daily life to better myself which is “Often the words of others can help find the words for your own experience, and help understand your own experience.” I strongly believe this is a great statement and one that I will look back at because I think it is important to get other’s perspectives in some situations to move forward.