GWI Alumni Spotlight: Joyce Li
Our Alumni Community spans a variety of states, universities, asset classes, and more, bringing a wealth of varied experiences that strengthen Girls Who Invest as a whole. Among these exceptional individuals is Joyce Li, a member of the GWI Alumni Class of 2019 and Regional Rep of Los Angeles on the GWI Alumni Council. Read on to discover her GWI story and her advice for those looking to make their mark in the industry.
How has being part of GWI changed your perspective on your career goals?
It’s helped me visualize the progression of an investor throughout their career from analyst to leadership roles, and that understanding has motivated me.
How has the Girls Who Invest community supported your professional development since completing the program?
The most concrete example is through the Investor Leadership Program (ILP), with two immersive days on Wharton’s campus, learning about management, leadership, and career strategy concepts that we could directly apply to our investor roles. The professional coaching was particularly helpful because we brainstormed goals and created steps to hold ourselves accountable to achieving them in the workplace and our lives.
What challenges did you face entering the investment management industry, and how did GWI help you navigate them?
One challenge was feeling comfortable speaking up in an entirely new and intense environment, and GWI helped with this in two main ways: by providing role models and mentors who paved the way, and second, helping me learn the quantitative and interpersonal skills that are needed in this industry.
What would surprise people most about the impact Girls Who Invest has had on your career or the careers of Alumni you know in the industry?
The program’s impact extends beyond impacting only the lives of women participating through job opportunities. Alumni continue to shape teams and investment outcomes across firms and sectors through their hard work, being culture carriers, and mentoring others.
If you could travel back to your first days in the Girls Who Invest program, what would you tell your younger self?
It all works out - spend less time stressing and over-optimizing, and more time living in the moment and truly seeing what’s in front of you!
If you could describe the GWI experience in three words, what would they be?
Keep growing together
What would you want current Scholars and future program participants to know about the legacy they're becoming part of?
Their experience and enjoyment of the GWI legacy is dependent on their own contributions; it can’t exist without Alumni giving back. Be grateful for the opportunity, and show your gratitude by absorbing as much as possible from each interaction and event, and giving back to the community through your time, professional relationships, guidance, and mentorship.
As the Regional Representative of Los Angeles on the Alumni Council, what does it mean to you to represent the GWI community?
It’s a privilege and exciting opportunity to stay connected with the GWI community as a working professional. LA, in particular, is a challenging city to build a community in, especially if you didn’t go to college here or have family in the area. I hope to start bridging that gap with initial connections between our Alumni in the area and creating a space for people to gather and share how they’re feeling.