2018-2019 WLP Annual Report

SUPPORT IN
EVERY WAY
Behind the scenes of every Women in Leadership
and Philanthropy event is a small army of volunteers
working to make sure the program runs smoothly
and each attendee walks away feeling as if they
were a part of something special.
And chances are, one of the volunteers helping to
lead the way is Cindy Kane ’76, a longtime WLP
member and former chair of the program committee.
For Kane, WLP has helped her reconnect to the
university. After many years of simply paying her
Alumni Association dues or making small annual
gifts to USF, Kane attended a couple of early Fall
Symposiums.
The first Symposium Kane went to was a lunch
with 200 attendees — “and I thought that was a
pretty big deal.”
She liked what she saw, soon becoming a member
and now helping to organize the Fall Symposium,
WISE Symposium and other WLP events each year.
“If I’m going to be involved with an organization, I’m
going to be all in,” she said. “Because that’s the way
I get the most — and so does the organization.”
With the support of Kane and many other WLP
members and volunteers, the Fall Symposium has
grown to a half-day event with 1,000+ attendees.
“The founding members, they knew this was going
to be a big deal, but I think it’s gone way beyond
their expectations,” she said.
Kane has worked with nonprofits for many years
through her consulting company, GW Group. Before
taking on a new client, she had to agree with their
mission statement and their management style —
and she had to have fun. She has found all three
with WLP.
“I’ve made great friendships with WLP members.
We are all so supportive of each other. There’s no
competition. Everybody’s focused on the mission:
supporting students and their education,” she said.
To Kane, it’s all about the students.
“One of the best parts is when you see a freshman
walk in the door at a student reception for the first
time and then you see them grow each year. That’s
the most fun,” she said.
5 2018-2019 ANNUAL REPORT