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UT's Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute will open next spring

The institute is intended to be a central hub for a women's leadership workshop series, the "Change the World Women's Leadership Summit" and more.

AUSTIN, Texas — Kendra Scott and The University of Texas at Austin unveiled the Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) Institute on Tuesday.

The WEL Institute said that it will open to UT Austin students starting in Spring 2020 in an attempt to empower women to advocate for themselves. 

In Tuesday's announcement, Scott discussed how an entrepreneurial mindset is not defined by opening a business, but rather the ability to see the goal and to take steps to reach it.

"When people say, 'That's not possible' or 'No, you can't do that,' the entrepreneurial mindset goes, 'Oh, thank you for telling me I can't because I am going to show you that I can,'" Scott said.

The announcement featured a panel of women speakers including Executive Vice President and Provost of the University of Texas Maurie McInnis, entrepreneur and actress Freida Pinto, and lawyer and co-host of ESPN's "GameNight" Rachel Lindsay. Country music artist Cam also performed.

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The WEL Insititute is intended to be a central hub for the following programs:

  • A women's leadership workshop series
  • The "Change the World Women's Leadership Summit" hosted by UT
  • An experiential accessories design and merchandising course through UT's College of Natural Sciences
  • A Kendra Scott Consumer Products Entrepreneurship Practicum through UT's McCombs School of Business
  • The Kendra Scott Studio Partnership, featuring a seminar course hosted at Kendra Scott Headquarters, through UT's College of Fine Arts
  • An internship program
  • Leadership training and mentoring
  • Speaker series featuring industry leaders
  • Campus-wide venture funding opportunities

Kendra Scott launched her first jewelry line in 2002 and has since grown her business to a value of $1 billion, according to Forbes.

"Here we are today, making the impossible possible," Scott said.

WATCH: A Day in the Life of Kendra Scott

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