WiB Alumni — Presidents Panel

Women in Business has grown tremendously in recent years to become one of the largest organizations in Isenberg consisting of well over 200 members. As a club, we focus on the development of our professional skills and empower each other as women indulging in our business careers. A huge reason why WIB has been so successful and enforces these mottos today is the work and talent of our past presidents. I have reached out to four of our past presidents to get an inside look on WIB and how it has impacted their lives in a positive way.

Sam Boardman: 2018-2019 

Carly Griffin: 2017-2018

Meghan Bates: 2016-2017 

Diana Ciccolini: 2015-2016 

1) What was Women in Business like when you were co-president?

Sam: 

Each and every year, Women in Business has grown to be even bigger and stronger than it was the year before. Last year, we focused on growing our online presence, launching a re-branding initiative and updating our website. Our marketing team even added a segment to the website that highlighted individual WiB members for their contributions and involvement. On social media, we sought out audience engagement--our three Marketing Eboard members did a fantastic job creating and posting content relevant to our current events and club mission. I don’t necessarily have a favorite memory from WiB, but what I really did love was the way certain EBoard members took ownership of their position. As leader, I sometimes felt my best bet was simply giving members the freedom to generate their own ideas and run with them.

As for the Women of Isenberg Conference, I can’t wait to see what is in store for this year! Last year, we had our second ticket sell out, along with our first ever first Diversity and Inclusion Campaign called #MoreThan. I have no doubt that the team has yet again taken it up another notch for this year’s event!

Carly: 

We had a fairly strong social media presence but this was the beginning (or early stages) of developing the website and blog. If I remember correctly the marketing committee was one of the largest committees in the club!

During my time as Co-President of WIB I was also VP of Operations for the Women of Isenberg Conference. This was the first sold out conference with over 440 attendees. During this year we really worked to get move involvement from the rest of the club in terms of Student Ambassadors and volunteers! We also worked to make sure all attendees were really prepared for the day in terms of what to bring etc so everyone was able to get the most out of the day.

I believe the club was over 250/300 members during the first semester (dying down as the year went on so I am not fully sure on total membership) and the e-board had maybe 10-18 eboard members!

Meghan: 

We had a pretty solid online presence both in terms of the social media and the website. The blog was still growing, and a big initiative that my co-president and I (Liz Imbrogna) undertook was re-strategizing around how to best use the blog, which types of content to feature, etc. In terms of social media, the summer leading into our presidency, we launched the “WiBSummer2016” campaign on Instagram and challenged our members with posting about their summer adventures, study abroad, internships, etc. The best post won a gift card, and we got to display all the amazing things our members did with their summers.

We were in our 4th year of the WOI Conference, so we had a pretty solid foundation to work off of with the work the past co-chairs had done over the year. It was only the 2nd year that the conference took place in the Campus Center, so we were still working hard to iron out the kinks and work through the challenges and opportunities that holding an event in such a large space presented. We moved from 2 keynote speakers, which we did for 3 years, to only 1- Karyn Schoenbart- who was fantastic, and we really liked the format of the conference that way since it allowed us to really highlight that speaker and give our sponsors another opportunity for a panel at the end of the day. We completely sold out for the first time ever, which was an incredible feeling!! The conference was really gaining steam and recognition throughout Isenberg and all across campus, but it certainly had room for growth- it was such a cool time to be involved!   

Our eboard was probably about 10 people, and we had over 200 active members- we were one of the largest clubs in Isenberg by a mile!! I’m sure it’s grown since then, but, again, it was such a cool time because the conference put WiB on the map and our membership numbers were growing rapidly as a result. 

Diana: 

I was co-president of WIB my Senior year at UMass from 2015-2016. Women in Business was just starting to grow at this point with over 100 members of our club and weekly meetings every Monday evening. Our online presence was just starting to boom as we started some internal sub-groups that would become committees for many initiatives including our website and social media. WiB's EBoard consisted of 11 women, including myself and co-president Casey Gover. We were a tight knit group that really enjoyed working with each other.

Additionally, I was also a lead member of  the planning committee for the third annual WOI conference. We had over 300 attendees which was our largest turnout yet! Our keynote speakers were Laurie Stroll, President and Owner of Newport Hospitality, and Kate Edwards, owner of Kate Edwards Consulting. We had panel discussions featuring industry professionals (both alumni and non-alumni) and Isenberg professors which explored a variety of topics including leadership styles, negotiating, sustainability and social responsibility, media literacy, entrepreneurship, managing personalities, technology, social media, hospitality, concerns of young professionals, and more. Looking back, I am so proud of how much WOI has grown since I have graduated.

2) What inspired you to be a co-president of WiB?

Carly:

I remember my freshman year and listening to Lauren and Abby talk about their experiences in WIB during the first meeting and I looked up to them. Hearing about the conference, networking with professionals, and finding that support system to navigate college with - I was hooked! Through the following few years my experience continued to get better and better. I had found my sounding board! The senior members of the club were always there to answer questions and bounce ideas off of - they had been there before and were willing to help me with anything. With that experience, how could I not want to be co-president! I wanted to give back what those before me had given me! I wanted to help build those friendships and mentorships!

Meghan: 

Abby Wells & Lauren Casaceli, for sure. They were co-presidents when my roommate, best friend, and future Co-Chair of the Women of Isenberg Conference were sophomores, and they were leading the club while simultaneously putting on the 2nd annual WOI Conference. I remember being so deeply inspired by them- their hard work, dedication, passion, and unrelenting positive attitudes were everything I wanted to cultivate in myself as a leader. They made it look easy!

Diana:

As a freshman, I joined WiB not knowing a single person in the club and looked up to the presidents at the time hoping one day I would be up there leading the pack. Seeing the passion and commitment of the past presidents inspired me to run for the position when it was my turn. I wouldn't have wanted to co-lead the group with anyone other than Casey Gover. She was an amazing partner in the success of our club.

3) What was your favorite memory of WiB?

Carly:

 I have so many to choose from! I loved the Berk Dinners - it was such a great chance to meet new people and talk in a way that wasn't always available during the normal meeting times! I also loved participating in the Women of Isenberg Conference! Being a part of something so incredible was so impactful and rewarding!

Meghan: 

My favorite memory is a tie between closing out the 4th annual WOI Conference with Crissy and the 2016 WiB Ugly Sweater Christmas Party! I think it speaks to the fact that WiB gave me some of the best in both professional and personal memories of my college career. WiB is so unique in that respect- it allows you to grow, change, and develop professionally AND personally.

Diana:

My favorite memory of WiB is really the connections that were made throughout the 4 years I was involved. Our final meeting with our members was very bittersweet. We grew so close to the EBoard and connected with so many students that these friendships still exist to this day!

4) What did you learn or take away from WIB going into the workplace?

Sam:

My company, Signature Consultants, has recently hired their first female executive, Lydia Wilson. I know, we could have done better, but realizing that “the big guys” have recognized that we need to do more and have given her a seat at the tables shows me that we have made the first steps in the right direction. When I heard that Lydia would be visiting our Boston office from across the country, I knew that I needed to make an impression. I managed to tag along to lunch with Lydia that day, along with other boss ladies in my company, to learn more about here role and goals for this company. We shared stories of subtle sexism in the workplace, and she relayed some of her unique experiences about being “the woman” in the room. My passion for her work and attitude clearly shined through, as she reached out to me the following day with a personal note; an invitation to continue our conversation. She me know that she will be leading our company’s first enterprise wide Diversity, Equity, and inclusion initiatives, and expressed that she wanted to hear more about me and my experiences. Needless to say, we have our first conference call on Friday.

My involvement in WiB gave me the confidence to simply walk up to Lydia and shake her hand. As an underclassman, that “Lydia” could have simply been one of the leaders in Women in Business. Presidents before me provided me with opportunities to acquire new perspectives and stories to help shape my own academic life and career. I was inspired to take on a leadership position as Co-President for the 2018-2019 academic year simply because I believe in giving others the support, knowledge, and motivation to rise above, surpassing not only society’s expectation for them but also their own. I wanted to use my voice to assure others were heard and not left behind; that their progress was not halted by barriers more frequently faced by women and minorities. 

Carly:

Some of the small things I learned that I use on an almost daily basis are as simple as writing out emails and talking to professionals on the phone! These seem like such basic skills but I was able develop them in a comfortable environment so that when I was networking it no longer felt uncomfortable!That was one of the biggest parts of WIB was that it created an environment that allowed me to develop these skills!

Meghan:

I learned the importance of female mentorship and friendship. Women only grow with the help of other women guiding them, influencing them, and inspiring them. When one women achieves something great, we all achieve something great. Its so important in the workplace to both seek out the mentorship of females and act as a mentor to other females. Girl power!!

Diana: 

WiB has taught me to speak up for myself in the work place. Ask for that raise, take credit for your work, and never be afraid to sit at the table and join the conversation :)

Tori and Diana: Imposter Syndrome

What is imposter syndrome? It can be described as a feeling of fraudulence — there is no level of accomplishment which seems good enough to make your achievements authentic. It is the feeling that your accolades have not been earned and eventually people will discover the truth: you are a fraud. But the real truth is that a lot of very successful people feel this way. Check out this video for a bit more background on this feeling.

“What is imposter syndrome and how can you combat it?” by Elizabeth Cox on TED

We experience it because of perfectionistic standards, competitive environments, and lingering thoughts that we somehow don’t deserve to be where we are. So how can we deal with this sensation?

1. Work to accept that you played a role in your own success! Don’t forget that you are where you are for a reason: you got admitted to your college, hired for your job, or selected for your internship because someone thought you were qualified.

2. Remember that comparison is the thief of joy. Bring your best to the table and always be proud of accomplishing your goals, regardless of what other people have done!

3. Fake it ‘til you make it! If you seriously feel like you don’t deserve to be where you are, at least pretend you belong there. Over time, you’ll start to feel like everything is meant to be exactly how it is.

4. Talk to other successful people — they’ve likely experienced the same things as you, and it’s helpful to talk about it. Being able to see their hard-work may help you realize that you’ve worked hard too.

Ultimately, imposter syndrome is generally all in your head. It’s healthy to try and step out of that headspace and embrace your successes.

Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone and Learning to Take Risks

Author: Kayla Kay

As a freshman at Isenberg, I am familiar with how nerve wracking it can be to adjust to a new school and environment. On top of trying to tackle the everyday struggles of adjusting to the social norms of college, learning the ropes of Isenberg can be daunting. Sometimes, with so many classes, clubs, and opportunities available, it seems easier to sit back and not take advantage of the opportunities UMass and Isenberg have to offer. To get you out of that rut, here are my top 3 ideas of ways to step out of your comfort zone and take risks in your life at UMass.

1. Go to Club Fairs:

I have to admit it, I skipped the club fair hosted at the beginning of the year to lie in bed and watch Netflix. While burying myself in fury blankets and watching The Office was amazing, attending club fairs is extremely beneficial in learning about the clubs offered on campus. Even if you don’t find a club you want to join, going is a great way to help you discover more of what you like and what you don’t like. Bring a friend along, it makes the experience less overwhelming and more fun!

       2. Take a Class that has nothing to do with your interests:

My love for the sciences does not go much further than watching Bill Nye the Science Guy, so I was not happy when my advisor informed me that I had to take a Biological Science course. However, trying the course and studying the material was a great experience for me: I ended with an A and also confirmed I definitely do not want to be a scientist!

3. If the Opportunity is there — Study Abroad:

Being homesick is a hard feeling to deal with- I get it, I was always the kid to call my parents at sleepovers. It is easy to abandon the idea of going abroad out of fear, but going is an amazing way to extend your education and experience other cultures. We just got back from Spring Break, so start fresh and choose a time to meet with your advisor! Ask them questions about abroad programs- whether it be a domestic or foreign program!

Go for it! You won’t regret it!