Before the summer started, I never would have imagined that I could complete a 4-week investing bootcamp and 7-week asset management internship. My career confidence was nonexistent.

"In the wise words of Beyoncé Knowles-Carter: ‘Who run the world? GIRLS.’” said Chidinma Chigozie-Nwosu, Girls Who Invest (GWI) Scholar, as she finished her remarks at the graduation ceremony for the GWI 2022 Summer Intensive Program (SIP) Class.

Love is love. Up until 2020, that phrase meant nothing more to me than any other recycled Instagram caption or overused quote plastered onto an Urban Outfitters t-shirt.

I will never forget my first finance meeting at Temple University during my freshman year. As I passed the threshold, I immediately saw a sea of men, all in suits.

Every GWI scholar I have met has been keen to do their part to help their community and to make a difference in a way that is meaningful to them.

No matter how busy life gets, I always try to make time to reflect on where I want to improve next. And that motivates me to strive for my goals and step out of my comfort zone.

Growing up in a middle-class family within an average-sized Midwestern city, I had no connections to the investment management industry.

Or at least question it before you act. When I took “Introduction to Python Programming” during my first semester at Wellesley, I had never coded before and, as far as I was concerned, Python was a snake.

This past year has involved a lot of changes for the world, and we should all be proud of ourselves for persevering through it. Here’s to a new school year of growth, happiness, and new friendships!

If you talk to any Girls Who Invest Scholar, you’ll quickly realize that community is at the core of the organization’s mission. I was fortunate enough to experience this close-knit community just one year ago, and it is a hallmark of my GWI story.

As a self-proclaimed "anti-sorority girl" in high school, I went against my previous notions of Greek life and decided to go for it. I had a difficult time forging authentic relationships in my first semester of college, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

My freshman summer, I found out about Girls Who Invest’s Summer Intensive Program. I was working with the Wharton Social Impact initiative, just a few buildings away from Steinberg Hall on Penn’s campus, where Girls Who Invest (GWI) sessions were taking place.

Whether you're an incoming Girls Who Invest (GWI) scholar (Yay! We can't wait to have you), a college student, or a recent grad embarking on your career, the COVID-19 pandemic has probably made it difficult to find things to be grateful for.

In a community filled with hardworking, energetic women in college or industries like finance, I’m sure I’m not the only one who was living life at warp speed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When you are starting out in your career, it’s completely okay to be unsure about a lot of things. As you learn and pick up new skills, you’ll figure out what your strengths are.

When I started college at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, I was determined to become a corporate lawyer. However, the more finance classes I took, the more I became interested in the investment world.

It’s no surprise that most of us have been spending countless hours at home and the days have been blending into each other.

As we connect our communities, it becomes easier to adapt to these unprecedented times. Many of us may still be feeling powerless during this global pandemic because we feel unable to help our world. However, we are not powerless, and we can help our world right now.

I’ve been told that I’m often too optimistic, but I think that when this all blows over and we can finally celebrate in-person, get-togethers will feel even more special.