On March 7, 2025, Cal Poly Women in Business (WIB) will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Defining Her Future (DHF) conference. DHF is an all-day conference in the Performing Arts Center revolving around empowering the next generation of female business leaders. The event goes from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and welcomes students of all majors and backgrounds. It is the largest student-run event on campus and is completely free for Cal Poly students. Each year, it attracts an average of over 500 visitors. DHF aims to provide an inclusive space dedicated to fostering leadership and professional development. Through impactful speakers, interactive workshops and networking opportunities, Defining Her Future has left a lasting mark on the Cal Poly community, inspiring countless students to pursue their ambitions with confidence.

The theme for this year is “Passion”, a concept inspired by conference director Valerie Medina’s personal experiences. A first-generation college student, Valerie credits WIB for igniting a passion within her to succeed and thrive professionally. Now a third-year Marketing student, Medina chose passion because “it embodies what drives meaningful success.” Medina continued, “I wanted this year’s conference to inspire attendees to discover, embrace, and channel their passions—whether in their careers, personal growth or leadership journeys.”

Given that this year marks the 10th year anniversary of both WIB and the DHF conference, passion reflects the dedication and enthusiasm that has been poured into this event and organization over the years. 

Medina, who previously served as Marketing Strategy lead last year, now oversees all aspects of the event as Director. Her responsibilities include managing the 20+ members of the Marketing Strategy, Marketing Creative, and Logistics teams, recruiting speakers and ensuring a meaningful experience is created for attendees. 

The conference will begin with an introductory address from Medina and WIB President Madison Ngo. Following this, keynote speakers will address a variety of topics before breaking for lunch: Mr. Pickle’s sandwiches. After lunch, several panels and workshops will occur. Attendees can decide which event resonates most deeply with them, offering a chance for a customized experience. The event ends with a final round of networking at 3:00pm. 

This year’s conference will also feature a special fundraising initiative–a raffle focused on raising funds to those impacted by the Los Angeles fires. Attendees can donate an amount of their choosing at the beginning of the event to be entered into a raffle. At the end, a winner will be announced to receive a raffle basket estimated at over $900 in value. 100% of the raffle revenue will go towards supporting relief efforts and rebuilding communities affected by the fires. In addition, DHF is continuing its tradition of an annual $500 scholarship for an attendee. The selection process for the scholarship remains anonymous to ensure fairness. 

The conference features representatives from top firms, including the Big Four accounting firms, Adobe, and LinkedIn. These offer valuable networking opportunities for attendees. The event also features complimentary headshots, complimentary swag bags, and more. Participants can choose to attend whenever they wish, but are strongly encouraged to stay for the entirety of the event. 

As Defining Her Future marks its 10th year, it continues to uphold WIB’s pillars of “build, support, and empower.” With this year’s theme of passion, the conference not only reflects the decade of success but looks ahead to the future, continually inspiring attendees to strive for their goals. 

If you have any questions, please contact Valerie Medina or WIB. Email: cpwomeninbusiness@gmail.com and valeriemedinaaa@gmail.com.