Finding community, developing professionally with Women in Business

I remember my first day of classes at the David Eccles School of Business. I walked in the SFEBB 20 minutes before my first class and saw the promised table of bagels. There were dozens of students standing around with their fresh backpacks and bagels in hand, yet the space was eerily quiet. I guess we were all freshmen.

Beginning college is a terrifying experience that essentially gives students a chance to restructure their lives. Over time, the lobby progressively got louder in the mornings, even when fewer students showed up that early. It was easy to make friends. There’s such an emphasis on networking so there are always many opportunities available. However, as a student living off-campus who was not involved in any clubs, it was difficult to call the University of Utah home.

Luckily for me, one day in late September, I ran into some students in the lobby handing out board member applications for Women in Business (WIB). Equality, professional, and personal development already had been passions of mine, so the application combined with a presentation from the Office of Student Engagement and Assessment was all it took to convince me that this opportunity was for me.

I can say with full assurance that Women in Business is where I’ve found community. It’s an undergraduate and graduate student organization that focuses on providing personal and professional development for students, with an emphasis on curating critical conversations. There’s a wide range of programming available, from pre-pandemic golf clinics to a virtual Women Who Code series.

One of my favorite activities from last year was the Alumna luncheon, where an amazing panel of female-identifying folx from the community spoke to us and invited large-scale networking. Along with all this enriching programming, there’s consistent content delivered on our social media channels. We’ve found that Instagram (@wibuofu) has been a great touchpoint to utilize during these months of learning from home! Another factor about Women in Business that I’m very excited about is all the new board members that we’ve recently brought on.

I can honestly say that being a part of Women in Business has been one of the highlights of my undergraduate experience so far. I’ve found community and meaningful friendships. The organization has empowered me to share my opinion, have critical conversations, and spread the word of allyships, advocacy, and education.

Learn more and get involved at Women in Business at Eccles.link/WIB.