Event Recap USWIB Conference (Continued) The next events for the conference included "exploration and collaboration," which focused on several different parts of business. First, students could choose between going to informational sessions regarding the financial services industry, markets and the modern day consumer, the consulting experience, and enterprise and technology. Speakers were invited to provide an insight onto their particular field so students could truly understand the "financial industry". Afterwards, there were discussion and collaborative sessions regarding case studies, forming an inimitable personal brand, negotiation and cooperation in the workplace, and transitioning from a student to a professional effectively. This helped students gain relevant information about either activities going on in their lives right now such as interviewing and case competitions, or events that will happen in the future, such as dealing with a full-time job. After an excellent lunch that included steak, cheesecake, and excellent pasta options, students were led to the USWIB career fair, which certainly lived up to its expectations. There were recruiters from several different markets, including those from investment management firms such as Guggenheim Investments to those from the IT software support department of Accenture. It was interesting to see that most of these companies were not only looking for juniors and seniors, but also freshman and sophomores for summer internships and programs. Thus, everyone in USWIB could pick and choose who they wanted to meet with the assurance that there was a possible opportunity in the future. Even if there were no programs available for a particular graduating year, there was no harm in meeting a recruiter and learning more about the company, since all the representatives were eager to talk about who they worked for and
their experiences. The coffee chats were one of the best components of the USWIB conference. They provided an informal way for students to meet people of different business industries, inquire about their office lifestyles, and casually recruit with possible interviewers. The room was set up so thaqt each table represented a different sector, from investment banking to marketing to management consulting. I personally sat at an investment banking table and talked to a recruiter from Macquarie Holdings. Surprisingly, she not only revealed what work she has doing in the last three years there, but also her life outside her work: dining around Manhattan and traveling all over the world. She mentioned that she always found students who went abroad interesting, especially to unique places like Prague and Sydney. Since the coffee chat involved around five other girls, it allowed for the conversation to truly expand beyond the usual networking chatter, and made the experience all the more interesting. Ange Burt, Executive Director and Regional COO at Macquarie Holdings, is an accomplishment woman who USWIB had the privilege to hear speak during closing remarks. Growing up in a farm, Burt had valuable advice to give to those students who similarly had to make a large transition from home to working in New York City. Having met her husband at work and raising two kids, Burt was also able to offer valuable advice on balancing her personal life with her workplace ambitions. An experienced women who has seen several corners of the world, Burt left us with one key tip: “be open and willing to accept culture and a way of life that is completely different from what you have been used to.” A woman that “has it all,” Ange Burt is an amazing women that offered the perfect, emotionally powerful closure to such an amazing conference. 7