Virtual women’s forum brings worldwide community together, raises critical funds for Georgetown students

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between August and September 2020, nearly 1.1 million people dropped out of the labor force—and nearly 80% of them were women. A panel entitled “The Great She-cession” addressed this ongoing crisis at the 2021 Women’s Forum. Other sessions explored running for office, nurturing your entrepreneurial spirit, and fighting for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and beyond. The forum also hosted workshops ranging from the benefits of acupressure to a wine tasting highlighting women winemakers.

Held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event took place over five days and featured 11 sessions with 36 speakers, including Ambassador Melanne Verveer (SLL’66, MS’69, Parent’94), McCourt School Dean Maria Cancian, and a surprise guest: Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, who joined the faculty at the Georgetown Law Center in December 2020.

The 2,300 registrants came from all nine schools and over 60 countries spanning six continents. With a 300% growth over the registration numbers from the previous year, this year’s Women’s Forum demonstrated how a virtual event can unite a global community. In lieu of a registration fee, registrants could make a donation to Georgetown’s COVID-19 Response & Resilience Fund, resulting in nearly $40,000 from over 500 donors.