Girls'+ Education

From Classroom to Boardroom: The Estée Lauder Companies Partners with Students for Real-World Pitch Experience

This spring, 65 young women buzzed with entrepreneurial energy as they dove into market research, created compelling presentations, and confidently pitched their ideas to industry professionals. This wasn’t a scene from a corporate boardroom—it’s the transformative power of learning in action at The Young Women’s Leadership School (TYWLS) of Manhattan in partnership with The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC)!

Curiosity as a Catalyst for Growth

For over 20 years, The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) and The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation (ELCCF) have been steadfast and generous partners to our students. Through a unique and powerful 360-degree partnership rooted in employee engagement, ELC and TYWLS programming includes career day visits, mentorship, scholarship, and internship opportunities, workshops like Project Beauty, resume reviews for students, and more.

Four women are gathered around a table in conversation, with one woman standing and pointing at a phone. — Lauren Traum and Nerlynda Sutherland answer questions from students

A group of people sit around tables in a gymnasium, engaged in discussion. A woman stands, addressing the group, while others listen and write notes. — Wendy Abascal de La Faverie listens to pitch concepts from students

A woman stands and speaks to a group of seated people at a table in a large room, with papers, drinks, and writing materials on the table. — Phebe Farrow Port gives feedback on students’ product pitches

A group of students sit around a table working on papers and tablets, discussing and writing in a gymnasium setting. — Students brainstorm about how to market products effectively, with guidance from ELC volunteers

When students step outside of textbooks into real-world challenges, something remarkable happens. Now in its twenty-second year, ELC’s annual Project Beauty showcase in partnership with TYWLS introduces the creative and business practices and careers that power popular beauty and cosmetics brands to our students.

The students prepare pitches for fictional brands based on business challenges inspired by an ELC brand presentation and with guidance from ELC professionals in a variety of roles. This hands-on exploration sparks the kind of deep curiosity that drives students to ask bigger questions: “How do businesses really work?” “Where could my unique talents take me in this field?” “Could this actually be my career?” These experiences develop the adaptability, critical thinking, and confidence that will serve students well regardless of which paths they ultimately choose.

Leadership Skills in Real-Time Development

With guidance from 13 volunteers from ELC, students experienced leadership challenges as they assumed the roles of youth ambassadors for a fictional brand called GLOW. To create an effective pitch, they navigated team dynamics, synthesized feedback from professionals in the field, and presented their ideas with confidence and clarity. Volunteers offered feedback on the presentation decks and coached students on their talking points.

Six women sit at a table with papers, judging an event in a gymnasium with people seated in the background. — A panel of judges from ELC and Student Leadership Network offers constructive feedback to the students.

A group of people pose indoors, with several students holding certificates in front. — The group with the most effective pitch earned certificates of recognition

An enthusiastic judging panel included Phebe Farrow Port, Wendy de La Faverie, Nicole Monson, and Catie Cambria from ELC; Yolonda Marshall from Student Leadership Network; and Colleen McGeehan from TYWLS Manhattan. Judges each offered constructive feedback and congratulated all of the students on their creativity and teamwork.

Planting Seeds for Future Success

The strategic thinking of our students—from incorporating social media strategies to partnering with youth influencers in their marketing plans—showcased their ability to make sophisticated connections across industries and platforms.

Two women standing at a table give each other a high five, surrounded by seated people — An excited high-five from ELC’s Melissa Greene to the winning team

Seven students stand in a gym, some holding papers and microphones — Students include influencer partnerships in their product pitch

The beauty of this hands-on approach lies in its ripple effect. One student’s fascination with consumer psychology during the pitch activity might lead them to pursue marketing courses, seek internships in the field, or even consider a business major. Another student’s exposure to the science behind beauty brands could open doors to studies in product design or research in chemical engineering.

“Fun and hands-on opportunities like Project Beauty ignite our students’ curiosity and offer them opportunities to sharpen their leadership skills. All of these initiatives support how girls and gender-expansive youth learn and thrive,” explained Yolonda Marshall, CEO of Student Leadership Network. “We are thrilled that our longstanding partnership with The Estée Lauder Companies enables us to create meaningful experiences for both students and volunteers.”

“We’ve been proud to partner with Student Leadership Network for over 20 years,” noted Phebe Farrow Port, Senior Vice President at The Estée Lauder Companies. “ELC is a huge champion of the work we do together to elevate leadership opportunities for students. We have loved supporting young women to achieve their dreams in high school and beyond.” This long-term commitment demonstrates how industry partnerships can provide sustained pathways for student leadership and career discovery, in the beauty industry and beyond.