Ernst & Young LLP and USC Iovine and Young Academy launch an initiative to advance women in business, leadership and entrepreneurship

• Entrepreneur micro-residencies: Women entrepreneurs from the EY US network will participate in residencies at IYA, sharing their experiences and insights with students
• POWER Up event: A significant event designed to empower women, foster leadership skills and address societal barriers to gender equity
• Ongoing support and mentorship: Continuous engagement opportunities with mentors, coaches and sponsors to augment women’s sponsorship and support within the business landscape

Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) and The University of Southern California Iovine and Young Academy (IYA) announced a collaboration to foster inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA) in business, leadership and entrepreneurship.

EY US will connect IYA to a vast network of women entrepreneurs through esteemed EY programs, including Entrepreneur Of The Year^®, Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ and the Entrepreneurs Access Network. These programs support and celebrate entrepreneurs, providing them with the resources and recognition needed to help unlock their full potential.

The selected women entrepreneurs from the EY US network will engage in micro-entrepreneur residencies at IYA, beginning with Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters. These residencies will provide a unique opportunity for IYA students to interact with and learn from successful women entrepreneurs, gaining valuable insights and mentorship.

“We are excited to work with USC Iovine and Young Academy to advance our shared goals of promoting gender equity and empowering women in business. This collaboration embodies our commitment to building a better working world by fostering diverse and inclusive leadership,” says Cheryl Grise, EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ North America Program Executive Sponsor.

Audrey McLoghlin, founder and CEO of Frank & Eileen, has been an entrepreneur for 20 years and is the program’s first resident. She is thrilled to be part of the experience and hopes to serve as a role model for young entrepreneurs.

“I didn’t learn about the concept of entrepreneurship until after college and wish I had been exposed younger,” says McLoghlin. “I absolutely love the opportunity that IYA provides to our future leaders to learn about entrepreneurship during their educational journey. This will give the graduates of IYA a competitive advantage entering the workforce.”

This collaboration aligns with IYA’s dedication to IDEA and leverages the momentum of the EY US gender-focused programs such as Women. Fast Forward and POWER Up to support women in the workplace and help them overcome limiting behaviors. By providing access to successful role models and fostering an inclusive environment, EY US and IYA aim to create lasting change and elevate women in business and leadership roles.

Karla Trotman, President and CEO of Electro Soft, Incorporated, will join the program in Spring 2025 to share stories of missteps and resilience with students.

“Oftentimes entrepreneurs sensationalize all their wins and don't share their losses or failures,” says Trotman. “It makes those following in your footsteps feel that you must be perfect to be successful and that is an impossible path to follow. I want them to see that it truly takes execution and consistency to win at the game of business.” 

IYA students and the broader USC community will also have the opportunity to engage in the large-scale POWER Up experience, an interactive event divided into five segments involving short keynotes by accomplished women in business, followed by small group discussions among all participants. The event is designed to springboard women professionals alongside their male allies into deep conversations with one another to determine ways to enhance their performance and accelerate a new narrative of the future of women in their careers.

“This arrangement with EY US will provide our students with unparalleled opportunities to learn from and interact with leading women entrepreneurs,” says Davina Wolter, Associate Dean, Inclusive Learning and Diverse Excellence and Associate Professor of Practice, Design at the USC Iovine and Young Academy. “Together, we will inspire and equip the next generation of female leaders to overcome challenges and excel in their careers.”

For more information, please visit ey.com/en_us/women-fast-forward and https://iovine-young.usc.edu/.

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About USC Iovine and Young Academy

The USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation was founded by entrepreneurs Jimmy Iovine and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young. Conceived as an educational startup, the Academy is not just a home for disruptors but a disruptor itself. The Challenge-Based Reflective Learning (CBRL) model of IYA cultivates sociotechnical systems expertise with emphasis on industries at the intersection of technology, design, and business. The model is unique among higher education institutions and achieves exceptional student outcomes that garner recognition from higher education, research, big tech, and the creative industries. The Academy offers a Bachelor of Science in arts, technology, and the business of innovation, and a Master of Science in integrated design, business and technology.