“Where are all the women?”, I asked myself as I left my first supply chain networking event in undergrad. Despite working in a field that spans every corner of the globe, the visible lack of diversity is something I’ve always been curious about since I know and admire so many accomplished female leaders. However, just knowing them is not enough. I want to attend the next conference and not have to notice that I’m outnumbered.
Earlier this month, the women in our cohort had the pleasure of being invited to an AWESOME (Achieving Women’s Excellence in Supply Chain Operations, Management and Education) event in Boston, where we had the opportunity to network with some absolutely amazing women from all sorts of backgrounds like manufacturing, construction, and operations. The biggest takeaway I had from this event was how often women hesitate to apply for opportunities we easily could get because we feel like we don’t fit every single qualification on a job posting or an application. This is often referred to as the “confidence gap.”
I’ve felt this confidence gap much too often. I almost never applied to the Supply Chain Management Master’s program here at MIT because I didn’t feel good enough. Luckily, I had mentors that pushed me to “just try it”. Prior to applying, I spoke with many women alumni, like Morgan DeHaan ‘23, who had nothing but praise for the program. They shared how the program empowered them, encouraged them to make bold moves, and be a leader in the industry. After that, I knew that this was the place for me. I decided to join the SCM Master’s program to gain the skills I need in order to help advance women in the industry. Without my experience at MIT, I’m not sure if I would have the guts to pursue my ambitions or have such a strong network of people around me championing me to go after it.
Much like the women I’m fortunate to work so closely with, like Dr. Maria Jesus Saenz and Dr. Angela Acocella, I want to be a part of the broader shift of advancing women in supply chain. My focus on gender equality in supply chain comes from wanting to close this confidence gap in as many women as possible. Early in my career, I’ve had amazing women coach and mentor me, helping me with my confidence and giving me the tools necessary to get as far as I have come. Now through mentorship and leadership, I hope to inspire more young women to not be afraid of pursuing something like supply chain because they’re scared of being the only woman in the room. Every woman deserves to feel comfortable and confident walking in any space she chooses.
Recently, I joined Supply Chain Gals, a non-profit founded by MIT SCM alum Liz Raman-Grubbs ‘20, that connects women across all roles, industries, and levels to create a community of powerful women in supply chain. Being on both sides of the coin, mentoring young women and learning from senior leaders, has been instrumental in my learning. Being able to learn and exchange ideas with so many different women has been inspiring and eye-opening, and I hope to continue being a part of organizations like this throughout my career. Combining these experiences with my daily activities at MIT is helping me grow into the leader I know I can be in this space.
In the few short months I’ve been on campus, I’ve gained so many skills to become the type of leader for young women to look up to, the way I look up to my leaders now. One day, I hope for the conversation to shift from “where are the women?” to “I’m so happy to be surrounded by women.”
Isis Clark is a graduate candidate in MIT’s Supply Chain Management Master’s program. Prior to MIT, Isis was an Inventory Analyst for Target, working in apparel, kid’s toys, and most recently holiday products. In her time at Target, Isis gained experience in many parts of the supply chain industry, including inventory management, sourcing, demand planning, network capacity, and vendor management.