CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — “Women in Sports and Beyond” was the theme for the “LaunchBox Ladies: From Passion to Profit” event held Sept. 26 at the Penn State Lehigh Valley campus. About 90 community members, students, faculty and staff came to hear the panelists speak at the event hosted by Lehigh Valley LaunchBox.
Joetta Clark, motivational speaker, four-time Olympian and respected businesswoman, reflected on the five “P’s” from her book, “Joetta’s ‘P’ Principles for Success: Life Lessons learned from Track & Field.
“What is your purpose? And then prepare for it," said Clark. "Be patient. You won’t always get what you want when you want it. You may get perturbed. Be confident in yourself and persevere. Plus, pray.”
Mandy Marquardt, class of 2014, track sprint cyclist for Team Novo Nordisk and the USA Cycling National Team, shared her advice for women following their goals.
“Continue to do what you love. If not, seek other opportunities," said Marquardt. "Find a balance and a support system. And know that communication is always important.”
Clark and Marquardt were interviewed by Lorie Khalil, athletic programs coordinator and head women’s basketball coach, Penn State Lehigh Valley.
Upcoming LaunchBox Ladies events include:
- “Women in the Military and Beyond" — Tuesday, Nov. 12 — doors open at 11:30 a.m., with the program beginning at noon.
Lehigh Valley LaunchBox is a signature program of the Invent Penn State initiative. In addition to the LaunchBox Ladies speaker series, LaunchBox provides co-working space, accelerator programs, microgrants, legal and intellectual property advice and mentorship to help early-stage entrepreneurs de-risk and accelerate their businesses.
For more information, visit the Lehigh Valley LaunchBox website, email LVLaunchBox@psu.edu, or email Pam Kiser at psk123@psu.edu.