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Diamond Graduate Women's Leadership Xperience

The Diamond Graduate Women's Leadership Xperience was established in 2019 by Carina S. Diamond, CFP®, AIF®, MBA, and is offered through the Institute for Leadership Advancement in Â鶹ÊÓƵAPK College of Business. The fund was revised in 2024. Developed by Carina under the belief that students should have a remarkable experience while leveraging their unique talents and strengths, the program will be comprised of graduate-level students from business, psychology/sociology, political science, engineering, fine arts, biomimicry, humanities, arts and sciences, health professions, student athletes, and other majors to be determined.

Carina has a 30-year leadership history in financial services. She founded, built, and sold two financial advisory firms, and was Chief Growth Officer for a national Registered Investment Advisor firm. She is presently the CEO of GFP Private Wealth.

Carina also founded the program flourish: women & wealth™ - an initiative that has brought over 1,000 diverse women together to discuss how to plan for their financial future. This dedication to guiding women financially led Carina to establish an endowed scholarship at Â鶹ÊÓƵAPK to inspire female students to pursue careers in financial planning. She also serves as a Director for Â鶹ÊÓƵAPK Foundation and previously served as Director of the Â鶹ÊÓƵAPKChildren's Hospital Foundation. As a volunteer, Carina served as a CFP® Board Ambassador. She still speaks regularly to the media.

At Â鶹ÊÓƵAPK's College of Business, Carina was integral to the funding and selection of the first full-time director of CBA's CFP® Program which is offered through the Department of Finance. In 2015, she served as an advisor and helped with the interview process. During that time, she also engaged closely with faculty of the college and students by sharing her expertise in the field of wealth management and financial planning.

Carina is a passionate advocate of financial literacy and frequently serves as a source for major national news media. Her influence within the industry led to her selection as one of twenty 2018 "Women to Watch" nationally by lnvestmentNews. She has also been recognized as one of the top 200 women financial advisors nationally and best-in-state wealth advisors by Forbes, and she was named one of Crain's 2017 Influential Women in Finance.

The Diamond Graduate Women's Leadership Xperience offers graduate-level students the opportunity to develop advanced professional, leadership, and communication skills. Students will receive advanced training in personal leadership, communication, and interviewing, as well as one-on-one career coaching and mentorship. They will also engage in unique networking situations with high-level professionals from industry and will learn of various employment opportunities and create rewarding relationships with an interdisciplinary group of likeminded colleagues. Support from The Diamond Graduate Women's Leadership Xperience will be used for operational support of the program.

Program Purpose:
To provide leadership, communication, and professional development opportunities and experiences to a select group of students pursuing a graduate degree from Â鶹ÊÓƵAPK. This group will serve as a source of coaching, networking, and camaraderie for professionals. In addition, participants will receive education in the areas of psychology, communication, and leadership.

To be eligible for this competitive program, a student must:

• Be enrolled as a degree-seeking graduate student at the University of Akron,
• Be in good academic standing, and
• Submit an application for review by a committee comprised of faculty and staff from the Office of the Dean of the College of Business and select alumni and advisory council members.
  • The application requires a 250-word (max) essay responding to the prompts/instructions included in the application.

Program features:

• Structured mandatory events
• Flexible group/mentor meetings, scheduled at the small group/mentor's convenience
• Wednesday early evening professional development events*
  *Students will select five of eight offerings throughout the three semesters/year

Index of Events/Programs:

1. Program Outcomes: Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes
   1. Self-knowledge: self-efficacy/professional confidence, personal life and career strategy, advanced communication skills, empathy-directed interviewing skills, advanced networking and professional interaction skills, coaching/mentorship from accomplished women, leveraging the power of peer support, and personal resilience.
2. Leadership Development Groups/Community Impact Mini-Project
   1. The larger cohort will be divided into interdisciplinary groups of four graduate students who will receive a workbook with select leadership topics to guide discussion. The group will determine its own one-hour meeting time. The groups must meet six times each in spring and fall semesters and three times over the summer semester. Additionally, the group will complete a small but meaningful community impact project meant to expose the students to various community issues.
3. Mentor/Coaching Assignment
   1. Each student will be assigned a mentor/coach who is a leader in the community. The purpose of this mentor/mentee relationship will be to provide one-on-one guidance, coaching, and to serve as a source for networking in related fields. The meeting times/locations of these arrangements will be determined exclusively by the mentor/mentee.
4. Professional Development Seminars
   1. Through three semesters, students will have the opportunity to select five (of eight) scheduled professional development seminars. These seminars are designed to introduce graduate leaders to specialized topics meant to provide this cohort an edge. Seminars will feature community women in leadership roles, relatable faculty-led topics, empathy-directed interviewing skills, advanced communication, and leadership.
5. Opening/Closing Dinners and Networking Events
   1. These mandatory events are designed to introduce cohort members to one another, develop a team as well as provide points of connection to community/university leadership through networking opportunities.
6. Leadership Retreat and Commencement
   1. This mandatory event will serve as a final day of professional development, celebration, inspiration, and camaraderie for a year's worth of hard work and excellence. The event will include meals, awards, certificates, and a keynote speaker among other surprises.

To make a tax-deductible gift to this fund, please visit UA’s . Select “A different designation” from the drop-down menu and enter “Diamond Xperience” in the text box. Thank you!