On a brisk evening in mid-November,
the last vestiges of light are just fading from the sky as fifteen girls file into a classroom in the Howell Center. The smell of Pepe's Pizza fills the air, and cheery conversation flows easily as glistening slices of cheese and pepperoni are heaved onto paper plates. At the front of the room, Gabrielle Rosetti, an exuberant twenty-something with hints of a Boston accent, brings the meeting to order. "Alright, who wants to remind us of what we talked about last time?" Around the room, hands fly up. Rosetti points to Xiaoxiao Taoli '16. "We talked about some financial terms, what kind of money personality we have, and also about things that we like about ourselves," Taoli summarizes. "Okay, things you love about yourself, and why you're proud of yourself," Rosetti says, nodding. "Anyone want to share why you're awesome?" She pauses, scanning the room. Girls glance at each other and smile nervously, waiting for someone to make the first move. "C'mon, people!" Rosetti commands. One girl raises her hand. "Can I say it about someone else?" Rosetti laughs. "Sure." Quickly, the compliments start rolling. "Grace is an excellent basketball player," states one. "Serena is really good at studying," notes another. "Nya is a great sprinter," adds a third. The exercise continues until each girl in the room has been paid a compliment. "You're the first class I've ever had that flipped it around like that," Rosetti observes. "Didn't that feel good?" The atmosphere is fun and relaxed; the girls laugh easily as they praise their classmates. But Rosetti soon reminds them that the task at hand is an important one: they are here to learn about finances and fiscal responsibility. "Today is all about saving plans, discretionary income, delayed gratification and reaching your goals," Rosetti tells them emphatically. This is the second meeting of Invest in Girls (IIG), a financial literacy program in its inaugural year at Bryn Mawr. Founded in 2010, Invest in Girls is the brainchild of a team of women passionate about
18 / Mawrginalia / November-December 2013