Girls’ Day at WHU: Insights, Inspiration, and Empowerment for Young Women

How does it feel to sip the air on a college campus? What does it mean to optimize processes? And why is it so important to be authentic? These were just some of the questions the twenty-seven young secondary school students found answers to at this year’s Girls’ Day, hosted at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. “I tell my daughters all the time: ‘You should do what you want. The doors are open,’” said Klaudia Wilde, Director Development & Relationship Management and one of the event’s organizers, in her welcoming speech. “But first, you have to know what there is out there. And that is why we are here today.”

The day began with “Body Language for Young Women,” an interactive workshop hosted by Maxim Gresitza, Angelina Iwanow, Lilly Mainzer, and Moritz Mann, representatives of the school’s FEM. – Female Leadership at WHU student club. The girls learned how to make a stronger first impression through their stature, facial expressions, and overall presence. Body language accounts for 55% of one’s ability to make an impact, explained the workshop team, who also gave tips on how to impress through the use of “power posing.” 

The workshop then transitioned to a tour of WHU’s campus in Düsseldorf and its lecture halls. Along the way, doctorate candidates Annike Hagen and Emily Waltermann made time for an educational quiz to teach the participants about the many different career opportunities that can be found in academia.

Professor Carl Marcus Wallenburg (Chair of Logistics Management) was also part of the activities at that day with a fun experiment using Lego blocks to show how lean management is not just for companies—but also how it can help in organizing one’s own room at home. He summed things up nicely: “Work smarter, not harder! That’s the key.” 

The day also featured ethical discussions. Professor Miriam Müthel (Chair of Organizational Behavior) spoke about honesty, handling dilemmas, and her own journey to becoming a researcher. Her message was clear: “Believing in honesty means being honest with ourselves.”

By the time the first (but certainly not the last) Girls’ Day at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management came to an end, it was mission accomplished: All the participants returned home having gained new perspectives and insights into the daily innerworkings of a business school.