INDIAN HILL, Ohio — From academics to being a varsity athlete and participating in extracurricular activities, Indian Hill senior Samantha Kayne has a lot going on. Still, she felt compelled to start a new organization, the Nextgen Women Professionals.
“I wanted to be able to provide that mentorship and confidence that other women installed in me in other youth, in other girls from under-resourced communities that may not have that opportunity,” Kayne said.
Kayne got the idea for Nextgen after serving on the Hamilton County Commission for Women and Girls.
“I realized that educational opportunities were a significant barrier,” Kayne said. “Girls in their youth and in high school are not being able to have access to internships, job shadows, and I really wanted to break down this barrier.”
Nextgen Women Professionals host in-person and online Q&A based conversations with women in a variety of fields, alongside young girls.
“It just helps the girls to understand that networking and building connections is an important aspect of life in general as they’re young and up and coming girls,” said Nextgen mentor Norkeisha Kenner, who is also a clinical research associate director.
Kenner said programs like these are important for young people not only to build connections but also to know what opportunities are out there.
“Even in my profession, I didn't become aware of it until after I graduated from college,” Kenner said. “And it was important to me to reach out to these younger girls to make sure that they know these opportunities exist.”
It's helped mentee and eighth grader Myshaun Lowery find her passion in the medical field. She said the program has given her more confidence and understanding of what careers are available to her.
“They inspire me and help me bring it all together, make some connections, you know just have these women tell me what it’s like to be a woman in that field,” Lowery said.
Kayne hopes to continue Nextgen Women Professionals after she graduates high school, as she says the program is driven by passion.
Nextgen Women Professionals is always looking for more mentors and mentees. For more information on how to get involved, you can visit their website.
