Montclair State is hosting "Girls Going Places--An Income of Her Own," a conference for girls ages 13-18 designed to encourage young women to take control of their financial future by broadening their understanding of the business world, enhancing their awareness of non-traditional careers and highlighting the advantages of financial independence.

More than 75 female students from local middle and high schools in Bayonne, Belleville, Cedar Grove, East Orange, Kearny, Livingston, Lodi, Montclair, Newark, Pompton Lakes and West Orange have registered for the conference, which takes place Tuesday, Oct. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Russ Hall, Kops Lounge.

"One of the things that impressed me about this conference was the idea of making young women financially self-sufficient and providing them with entrepreneurial skills," said Esmilda Abreu, director of the Women's Center, which is co-sponsoring the conference along with the School of Business.

Other sponsors include the Guardian Life Insurance Company, the National Council of Jewish Women-Essex County Section, Patricia Flaherty McNeilly, Wood & Anthony, LLC, International Planning Alliance, LLC, Salon Mosaic, Johanna Alter-Wilson of Strategic Financial Group and Susan Mach of LS Mach Public Relations.

The conference was developed several years ago and travels to colleges and universities throughout the country. Participants at Montclair State's conference will meet successful local businesswomen and professionals to learn about entrepreneurship and financial independence. Attendees will play "Hot Company," a board game that introduces players to the advantages and challenges of owning a business, and will participate in a marketing exercise called "Product-in-a-Box," in which they design a product and present a marketing plan.

Women campus leaders participating as mentors are Helen Matusow-Ayres and Margaree Coleman-Carter of the Office of the Dean of Students, and Karen Dennis, Kathryn Martell and Joann Pinto of the School of Business. Folllowing the conference, Admission ambassadors will be give participants a tour of the campus.

The conference is a part of Guardian's women's initiative, which includes the national Girls Going Places College Scholarship competition. This scholarship program honors girls ages 12 to 16 who demonstrate budding entrepreneurship, are taking the first steps toward financial independence and have made a difference in their school or community. Guardian received more than 3,000 applications for the 2003 competition.

"This is a great opportunity for Montclair State to participate in an exciting endeavor that will teach these ambitious young women how to start businesses," said Dennis. "Past conferences and scholarship competitions have demonstrated just what these young high school ladies are capable of. It is a great opportunity for me as a mentor to join in the excitement and to work with people at various high schools both from the city and the suburbs, building further links with the community."

Patricia Flaherty McNeilly, conference chair, echoed Dennis's sentiments. "We're excited to introduce young women to the opportunities of owning their own businesses and becoming professionals," she said. "By working with successful women, these girls will learn that they can become businesswomen and, most importantly, they can achieve financial independence. We are honored to help them make their dreams come true and to give them the necessary tools to turn those dreams into reality."