The Significance of Staying Connected
DORIS HOYOS RODRÍGUEZ, ‘19
DORIS, A SENIOR FINANCE MAJOR AND PHILOSOPHY MINOR AT SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY, DISCUSSES THE PEOPLE SHE MET THROUGH HER GWI EXPERIENCE AND HOW THEY CONTINUE TO BE A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY TODAY.
Getting My Start
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. This curiosity encouraged me to join the Boulevard Investment Group (BIG), a student-led investment fund. During my time in BIG, the complexities of financial analysis and stock evaluations fascinated me. I decided then to focus my career on finance, instead of corporate law, and work towards becoming a successful investor.
In BIG, we had specific mentors, and, fortunately for me, mine was a Girls Who Invest (GWI) alum. Having recently attended the Summer Intensive Program, she told me that GWI had been a huge help in increasing her finance knowledge and preparedness. I had never encountered a program like GWI before, so I instantly applied. A few months later, I was accepted into the summer program and couldn’t wait to meet other GWI scholars and begin our journey together.
Connecting with a New Community
As useful as the financial and business education was, the biggest lesson I learned throughout my time in the GWI program was the power of building relationships.
From the moment I stepped foot on the University of Pennsylvania campus, where my academic training took place, I was encouraged by GWI team members to get to know all the scholars in the program. After countless hellos and fun icebreakers, I quickly found myself forming close friendships. It wasn’t long until we began to geek-out at the Bloomberg Terminals, eat at the dining hall, and explore Philadelphia together. It was these relationships that allowed me to feel more at home throughout the program.
By the end of the month, I had built what I feel to be life-long friendships with women from universities across the country. I am so grateful I was given the opportunity to bond with these new, far-flung friends, as their ambition and support continues to inspire my pursuit of a career in investing.To this day, our full-class group chat is always active, and many scholars have even become roommates in future endeavors, such as internships. I’ve especially valued this group chat during quarantine.
During this difficult time, we’ve used our chat to set up times to Zoom and even organize fun online events. One of my favorite virtual meetups so far has been attending a cooking class with Christina Tosi, the founder of Milk Bar and friend of GWI Founder Seema Hingorani. Getting to hear from a successful female entrepreneur while making yummy cookies was an amazing way to catch up with my GWI friends. It’s empowering to know I have these women beside me as our careers in finance progress.
Utilizing My Resources
In addition to meeting an amazing group of peers through GWI, I crossed paths with many industry professionals who have become valuable mentors. While I was at first nervous to reach out, I took a chance and asked a CEO I admired if he had time to talk with me following his presentation at GWI. To my surprise, he agreed to have a phone conversation and continued to support me well past that first call, later serving as a crucial advisor when I reached back out to ask him for advice about a job offer I received. It was through my interactions during the GWI program that I gained the confidence to not be afraid to ask for advice.
Paying It Forward
This type of selfless mentorship has inspired me to help other women exploring a career in finance. Since my summer with GWI, I have made it a goal to mentor at least three women each year throughout their college careers. Now, I meet with these women bi-weekly to discuss career endeavors, interview preparation, and any questions they may have about working in finance. I love being able to give back to students who are in the same position I used to be in and see how each of them navigates their career.
One of the most memorable moments I had while helping a mentee was the excitement of celebrating when she got accepted into GWI. I loved being a part of her celebration and am looking forward to seeing how she progresses throughout her career. Seeing my mentees flourish like this and hearing her thank me for guiding her through the process only encourages me to continue to advise more women throughout their careers. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that lie ahead of me, and I cannot wait to do my part as the program paves a path for more incredible women in finance.
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