Nearly 150 UChicago students, alumnae, and employer partners joined Career Advancement for the second annual Women’s Leadership and Professional Networking Reception. Designed to celebrate and promote women’s leadership in the workplace, the event connects students and employers to discuss self-advocacy, resiliency, and professional development.
The event kicked off with a hors d’oeuvres reception where students had the opportunity to network with alumnae working in a wide range of industries (including the arts, consulting, education, entrepreneurship, finance, government, and nonprofits) as well as representatives from leading organizations, all of which are currently recruiting for internships and full-time jobs.
A major highlight of the event was the keynote speech given by Rachel Kohler, MBA’89, University Trustee, and CEO of NowPow. Ms. Kohler spoke about her own career journey, discussed the unique challenges and opportunities women face in the workplace, and offered practical advice on how students can take risks and build skills needed to achieve professional success.
Following the keynote address, students heard from a panel of employers. The speakers shared their experiences as professional women and empowered students with information about how they can build a successful career.
Eight companies generously sponsored the event:
- Vanguard
- Peak6
- Invesco
- Belvedere Trading
- Mizuho
- Lazard
- RBC Royal Bank
- DaVita
Liz Clark, a panelist from Peak6, summed things up nicely saying, “I thought the event was very successful and I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of it. I was able to interact with many students and thoroughly enjoyed meeting such an engaging group of young women.”