Hi! My name is Shirley Hong, and I am a sophomore at Tulane University majoring in Finance with minors in Management and Cell & Molecular Biology. This summer 2019, I am excited to be a member of the latest class of Girls Who Invest Scholars.
So what is Girls Who Invest (GWI)? It’s an incredible non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the asset management industry by increasing female representation in portfolio management and executive leadership. GWI is a fairly recent program – only three years old – but has helped nearly 600 women enter the investment industry. By focusing on “education, industry outreach, accessibility, and career placement,” GWI “inspires and supports young women to become tomorrow’s leading investors.”
The GWI summer intensive program has two parts. The first part is a four-week training session at either the University of Pennsylvania or the University of Notre Dame. I will be attending the University of Pennsylvania this summer where I will learn essential investment and finance concepts from esteemed business professors and industry-leading practitioners in the asset management business. The training will also strengthen my interview skills, preparing me for future internship and job applications while also increasing my competitiveness by allowing me to earn certifications from Bloomberg and the CFA Institute.
The second part of the program is a six-week paid internship with an asset management firm. I will be working for the Tulane Investment Management Office in Darien, Connecticut. This hands-on approach will provide rewarding real-world experience in valuing assets and working in a professional environment. During my six weeks, I will be able to sit in on client meetings and negotiations, work on my own project, and present my recommendations to my team.
Through GWI, I will have the invaluable opportunity to meet other women in the same position as I am, as a female undergraduate striving to break into a male-dominated industry. The connections I can form this summer could very well end up being the first steps to my future career, or possibly be the beginning of a beautiful relationship with my “work wife.”
In preparation for this intensive program, we were all assigned “pre-work” comprising of three segments. 1) Read two chapters from the CFA Institute Investment Foundations course giving a general overview of the investment industry. 2) Complete three crash courses on core finance skills by Wall Street Prep. 3) Complete five modules by the Bloomberg Terminal about financial markets. Seems like a lot I know, but the information is vital, and there’s no success without hard work.
I am incredibly eager for this chance to immerse myself in the asset management industry and learn both in and out of the classroom. I am also extremely excited about the people I will get to meet, the relationships I will build, and the cities I will explore. GWI is such a unique program that provides so much more than just classes and an internship.
GWI is a whole community, a support system, and a network of empowering individuals who will be there to help you along what can be an intimidating career path. As someone who has no familial ties or background in finance, the knowledge, connections, and experience GWI provides will be invaluable. Here’s the link to the website if you want to check it out!