Makennah Murphy, a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) student at the University of Windsor, is recognized as the inaugural recipient of the Lenore Simpson Women in Business Award during the Odette School of Business International Women’s Day event on March 3, 2026. (MIKE WILKINS/University of Windsor)
The University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business marked International Women’s Day with a keynote address from the Honourable Sandra Pupatello and the launch of a new award supporting women in business.
Held at the Odette School of Business, the annual event carried the 2026 theme “Women Leading with Intelligence,” examining how women leaders are integrating human, emotional, social, strategic and artificial intelligence to build ethical and resilient organizations.
Sen. Pupatello, a former Ontario cabinet minister and long-time advocate for economic development and gender equity, spoke about leadership, opportunity and innovation in a rapidly evolving business landscape.
“Artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of work, but leadership remains fundamentally human,” said Dr. Esraa Abdelhalim, assistant professor at the Odette School of Business and one of the event’s organizers. “Women leaders are demonstrating how multiple forms of intelligence can be combined to drive responsible and inclusive innovation.”
The event also marked the official launch of the Lenore Simpson Women in Business Award, created to honour Simpson’s legacy of leadership and community engagement while supporting the next generation of women leaders at Odette.
The inaugural recipient, Makennah Murphy, is a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) student specializing in human resources with a minor in English language and literature. She serves as president of the Odette Commerce Society and as an Eastern Board representative for the Canadian Association of Business Students.
Murphy has been recognized for academic excellence and leadership, earning the Dean’s Renewable Scholarship for Honour Roll standing, the 2024 Made a Difference Award and the 2026 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Leadership. She plans to pursue a career in human resources, consulting or labour relations, with a focus on employee training and development.
“International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on progress while reaffirming our commitment to equity and opportunity,” said Dr. Josianne Marsan, dean of the Odette School of Business. “By launching the Lenore Simpson Women in Business Award, we are investing directly in the next generation of women leaders and strengthening pathways for their success.”
Now in its third year, the Odette International Women’s Day event brought together students, alumni, faculty, business leaders and community members from across Windsor-Essex.
International Women’s Day is recognized globally on March 8 and celebrates the achievements of women while emphasizing continued progress toward gender equality.