Women’s Leadership Academy prepares young ladies for the future

For 25 Augusta University students, the academic year will be spent developing leadership skills through the Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA). 

“The program was started to give young ladies a training ground for different things they will have to face in their careers and their lives,” said Stacy Roberts, DBA. “It’s a very good opportunity for them to be exposed to certain topics, certain subjects, experiences before they actually get out there in the real world.” 

The WLA was established in 2019. Roberts inherited the program when she joined the James M. Hull College of Business as a full-time faculty member.  

“The program began after ADP reached out when it was looking for a type of education to prepare the next generation, especially women, for the workforce,” said Dave Brendza, division vice president/general manager of ADP Augusta & Louisville. 

“Since the majority of our workforce in the Augusta location was female, we asked the Hull [College] of Business if they would help us with providing some type of curriculum [to meet] that need,” Brendza said. “Thus, the Women’s Leadership Academy kind of came as a result of that conversation.” 

WLA meets once a month from August through February with a graduation held in March. Roberts described the program as well-rounded with the lessons the young women learn. These include an etiquette brunch, resume tips, interview tips, networking and other tips to assist them in the professional world. 

“They actually are able to use those skills,” Roberts said. “They’ve been in the past able to go to the Augusta Metro Chamber’s annual Women in Business event where they’re able to network, rub shoulders, practice some of the skills they’ve learned. Professional dress, just professionalism period. They hear stories or the journeys of women who have already done it.” 

“This year, WLA is planning on doing their resume and networking at ADP so the young women can be exposed to a professional environment,” said Roberts. Discussions also include burnout, salary negotiation and other topics they might encounter in the workforce. 

The program allows for 25 participants and five peer mentors and five ADP mentors, with Roberts adding that it now maxes out. The peer mentors are students who have completed the program and come back to work as mentors for a different cohort, while the ADP mentors serve as professional guides and partners for the participants.   

“They just pour knowledge and wisdom, just are partners throughout their time. Many of them are still connected after the program,” Roberts said. 

Tobi Clinton, a 2024-2025 WLA cohort graduate Hull College of Business senior, originally applied to the program because she would get experience in the professional world and build connections.  

“It was even more than what I expected,” Clinton said. “We got to meet a lot of professional women who gave us so many tips and tricks, etiquette, things you wouldn’t think of. How to eat when you’re at a dinner interview or lunch interview, or how to dress when you’re at work. What does that look like?” 

Clinton had a such a good experience that she came back to WLA twice as a mentor. With this responsibility, she helps coach the participants and is a connection between them and their ADP mentors.  

“I’m able to guide the girls so that if they have any questions they don’t have to go directly to Dr. Roberts, they can just come to me or one of the other mentors and ask those questions,” Clinton said. “Also to see it from a student perspective on what being a professional woman looks like, because again I have had the opportunity to go through, to seeing the end result, the professional women we have as our mentors and professional women coming to talk to us.” 

Jennifer Beiza Flores, another Hull College of Business senior, is in the current WLA cohort. She wanted to participate in the program because of what it offers.  

“It’s full of ambitious women and I think it’s really powerful that we have something like that in the Hull College of Business,” Beiza Flores said. “It really connects you with a lot of external resources, as well as internal [resources]. It’s a great way to meet peers and like-minded individuals as well.”  

“WLA offers the participants a variety of opportunities, including finding jobs and networking with community members through attending chamber of commerce events,” Roberts said.

“It also is somewhat of a talent pool for ADP to select from because we do offer internships, and then we obviously hire full-time individuals,” Brendza said. “A lot of times, because people have an affinity or an affiliation with ADP … we actually look to that group to fulfill internships or even allow them the opportunity to vie for fulltime positions.”

For the young women considering WLA, Roberts encourages them to apply. If a student doesn’t make it in the first time, she recommends they try again before graduation.

Brendza said ADP couldn’t be happier with how the WLA has progressed and continued to grow over the years. While the program’s goals have not changed, he stressed that some of the content has been adapted to keep up with changes in society.  

“Artificial intelligence is influencing everybody today,” Brendza explained. “So, we have to keep up with the time, so to speak, in order to make sure that the program is addressing some of those types of needs.” 

LeadHERship Summer Program

Along with sponsoring the WLA, ADP also sponsors the LeadHERship Summer Program, which was the brainchild of Mark Thompson, PhD. Roberts was asked whether she could create something like WLA but for high schoolers.  

“It’s like a mini session of the Women’s Leadership Academy,” Roberts said. “They go through a week, was mainly four days. They get a lot of the same lessons, but they love it. They absolutely love it.” 

The LeadHERship camp finished its third year this past summer. In June 2024, the original camp had one cohort but over the past two years it’s grown to two cohorts, one in June and one in July.

For Brendza, he said the skills taught during WLA are also important for high schoolers to have whether or not they are planning to attend college or going directly into the workforce.  

“Anytime you have better prepared people, it’s going to help,” Brendza said. “Whether it’s us because we hire directly from high school ranks as well. So, we’re hoping to prepare the next generation of workforce for employment.”   

Applications for the 2027-2028 Women’s Leadership Academy cohort will open in March and will be available through Scholarship Universe. Applications for the LeadHERship Summer Program will open in February 2027.