MONROVIA – Ambition needs guidance. That was the central idea behind MacDella Cooper's recently concluded "She's the Way" Summit, which connected Liberian girls with accomplished women who can help them make informed decisions about education, careers and leadership.
Organized by the MacDella Cooper Foundation, the free mentorship forum was held at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Congo Town. Public accounts from Liberia's Ministry of Education and Ecobank Liberia highlighted the summit's core contribution: giving young women direct access to professional experience and practical guidance.
The gathering posed a consequential question for participants and mentors alike: How can women who have succeeded in their fields help the next generation prepare for its own opportunities?
According to the Ministry of Education, Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, Liberia's Minister of Education, engaged girls and young women at the summit. The Ministry's advance announcement outlined a fireside conversation on education, career choices, mentorship, leadership and purpose — issues that link academic achievement with life beyond the classroom.
Such direct exchanges help young people understand the decisions behind a career: what to study, which skills to build, where to seek support, and how to navigate setbacks. They also allow girls to see leadership as a path they can prepare for and pursue.
Ecobank Liberia also reported the participation of Salamata Diallo, who encouraged attendees on personal and career development. Her contribution added a business perspective, broadening the conversation around opportunities available to young women.
Together, these engagements gave the summit a clear, practical focus. Participants gained access to professional insights from women leaders, while mentors had the chance to share lessons with an emerging generation.
For Cooper, the gathering continues a longstanding commitment to mentorship. Documentation of the inaugural "She's the Way" Summit at Columbia University in 2012 describes an initiative created to connect young women of African descent with experienced female mentors — an approach built on sharing the lessons behind personal and professional achievement.
That value remains clear. When accomplished women explain their choices, challenges and support systems, they give younger women a more realistic understanding of what progress requires.
The Monrovia summit renewed that exchange. Its documented achievement is centered on access — access to leaders, and access to guidance.
The next task is sustaining those connections. Regular mentor contact, educational guidance, and practical career support can help participants apply what they learned. Schools, businesses, professional associations and development partners can contribute by offering expertise, learning placements, and skills development opportunities.
Those next steps would also create a stronger basis for measuring results. Follow-up could show whether participants secured mentors, pursued further education, developed new skills, or gained professional experience. Public accounts reviewed for this report do not yet establish those longer-term outcomes, nor do they provide a comprehensive outcomes report, verified attendance total, or confirmed details of new scholarships, funding commitments, or formal mentorship placements.
Cooper's initiative nonetheless advances a clear proposition: women can use their experience and influence to expand opportunity for those coming after them. By convening leaders and girls around education, ambition and purpose, "She's the Way" created a platform for that work.
Its lasting impact will depend on what follows: sustained guidance, practical opportunities, and young women who can point to the progress those connections helped them achieve.