Fall Semester Was About Empowerment and Confidence for the Women in Business Club

One of the highlights of the Fall 2023 semester was the presence of the Women in Business Club throughout the campus, planning engaging events and activities. It was exciting to see the number of talks and events hosted by the WIB Club, including professional topics and personality well-being sessions. The WIB Club e-board shared a detailed explanation of the ways in which the club flourished among the recognized student organizations (RSOs) on campus.

"The main objective of the Women in Business Club this semester was to motivate and provide students of any identity, with the majority of the club members being women, the necessary tools and skills to flourish in their respective areas of interest," said Yashvi Fadia ’24 MBA, head of marketing and communications for the Women in Business Club.

Fadia explained the process for planning and executing events during the Fall 2023 semester.

"We started thorough planning for the club in the summer break, and every member of the club contributed towards ideation and ways in which we could execute them,” she said. “We had a lot of new professional events in collaboration with various internal and external organizations. We started by establishing the event's purposes, goals, and target audience. As a team, we faced no major challenges as we implemented our planned activities, managed logistics, and resolved any issues immediately. Moreover, after every event, the e-board analyzed the event's success, gathered constant feedback, and identified areas of improvement for future events."

According to Fadia, the semester was fun filled with vast member participation. She said the members were not only delighted but also highly enthusiastic to volunteer for the WIB Club events.

"The turnout was impressive," says Fadia. She believes that the commitment and engagement of the participants were evident not only through their attendance but also in their contribution to the vibrant atmosphere of the club.

‘Strength and unity’

Upon sharing the results of the organization’s events, Fadia mentioned that the feedback from the attendees was quite positive, as the talks and events helped them foster both personality and skill development.

"The diverse range of topics covered and the interactive nature of the sessions have allowed attendees to gain valuable insights, enhance their communication skills, and build confidence,” said Fadia. “The Career Readiness Series this semester was one of the most appreciated events hosted by the WIB Club, which helped the attendees learn a lot.”

"It is thrilling to see our club's impact on the students' careers, overall growth, and college experience."WIB Vice president Abigail Murphy ’24

Fadia believes the WIB Club's networking events contributed greatly to personality and skill development. Moreover, Fadia believes that the members stepped out of their comfort zones and voiced their opinions professionally, allowing them to present themselves in front of industry experts.

Running a club and keeping it active can be challenging; the key to success is thorough management despite the challenges.

"Despite some hurdles, the team remained dedicated, adapted to strategies by overcoming obstacles, and ensured the successful execution of their initiatives,” said Fadia. “Such collective effort demonstrated the strength and unity within the WIB Club community, reinforcing our ability to navigate challenges and emerge stronger as a team.”

‘A dynamic and supportive environment’

In Fadia's words, the club made significant progress this semester and motivated women to emerge as self-confident and self-reliant. She believes all the events held supreme significance in empowering, skill development, networking, mentorship, continuous interactions, and constant improvement.

Fadia also extended a heartfelt appreciation to all of the partner RSOs, NGOs, and foundations, such as the Career Development Center, CMWP Foundations, LiveGirl, JEDI ambassadors, Youth Entrepreneurs CT, and the PCoB DEI Committee for their participation in and support of the Women In Business Club events and activities.

Fadia also extended her heartfelt appreciation to the sub-departments of the WIB Club, such as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), Marketing, Member Engagement and Participation committees, which played integral roles in the organization's success.

"Collaboration is inherent, with departments working together from integrated planning to cross-promotion, ensuring inclusive programming and skill synergy,” said Fadia. “This collective effort maximizes the WIB Club's impact, creating a dynamic and supportive environment for personal and professional growth.”

‘I am proud to see the club's growth’

The Women In Business Club e-board also extended their gratitude to the attendees who made this semester a success. President of the Women In Business Club Gabrielle Picón ’24 believes that this Fall's events felt especially spectacular mainly because of the enthusiasm and eagerness of the club's members.

"This Fall, the WIB Club hosted its first-ever Career Readiness Series, which was a fantastic learning experience,” said Picón. “It was a one-of-its-kind experience for the Pompea College of Business, and the WIB Club is planning on enhancing and developing this career readiness program to continue to provide members the opportunity to develop their skill sets.

"As a president, I am proud to see the club's growth and am thankful to everyone who was part of our success,” she continued. “The team was fortunate enough to meet so many individuals who helped uplift and expand the club's core mission to new heights. The upcoming semester will be even more exciting for the club as it has planned to expand its collaboration with several other RSOs with the sole focus of skill development."

‘We are excited to strengthen our community’

Vice president Abigail Murphy ’24 reflected on her participation with the Women In Business Club. She said she is ecstatic to see her journey from the Secretary to the VP.

"It is thrilling to see our club's impact on the students' careers, overall growth, and college experience,” she said. “Our annual EntreprenHER event and this semester's Career Readiness Series are some of our greatest successes. These experiences and many others are some that I will cherish forever. Moreover, none of our club's successes would have been possible without our adviser Dean Candice Deal, the e-board, and volunteers."

Murphy talked about her expectations of the WIB Club, saying, "I would love to see the club continue learning, growing, and adapting. I am confident that the club will continuously foster strong leaders of change for society and the greater business world." She added a quote by the 28^th U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to support her feelings for the Women In Business Club: "You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world."

The diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging committee head Abigail Fleisig ’23, ’24 MBA, reflected on her involvement with the Women In Business Club, saying, "At our first general body meeting of the Fall semester, Dean Deal, our esteemed club adviser, shared a heartfelt speech to close out the night, reminding us how far the Women in Business Club has come in just a few years since its formation. As one of the largest clubs at the University of New Haven, the WIB Club is not just an organization but a community. As a club member and now an e-board representative, I and many others feel this.

"From my perspective, we are excited to strengthen our community and create a better environment for all,” continued Fleisig. “Serving as a member and an e-board head with the Women In Business Club has been a pleasure, and I will be happy to see deserving individuals take over the responsibilities of the current e-board. Every club member inspires me, and I will always be honored to be part of this experience."

Anchal Bhatia ’24 MBA is a candidate in the University’s MBA program.