Emma Hetkey | 2026 I.S. Symposium

Name: Emma Hetkey
Title: “There’s No Room for Mediocrity”: Finding Discussions of Barriers, Resilience, and Community Through A Rhetorical Analysis of Business Media Portrayal of Women in Entrepreneurship
Major: Communication Studies
Pathway: Entrepreneurship
Advisor: Denise Bostdorff

In this study, I use the method of rhetorical criticism to analyze how several business media outlets (Forbes, Business Insider, The Wall Street Journal) depict women entrepreneurs. My study found that media stories about women entrepreneurs discuss gender barriers, aim to continue the allure of entrepreneurship for women, and show the collective leadership style seen by women entrepreneurs to form the audience’s perceptions of women in entrepreneurship. Personally, I found this topic engaging because I could compare the findings to my own experiences within entrepreneurial settings. Furthermore, this research could be used to analyze additional media outlets and provide guidance to those already examined.

Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.