This year’s Tuck Women in Business Conference was unlike any other WIB Conference (WIBC) that Tuck has hosted in the past.
I attended the conference as a prospective student, and I was thrilled and honored to return as a co-chair for the conference this year.
"Tuck is family and you show up for family."
We had the privilege of hosting over 100 prospective women students virtually for Tuck WIBC. While this year’s conference was delivered virtually, it didn’t diminish the mission the quality or mission of WIBC—my fellow co-chairs and I worked hard to ensure the spirit and community of Tuck was felt by each prospective student, even virtually.
Our conference theme this year was “Charting Uncharted Territories,” inspired by the ever-changing world that we are currently facing.
The weekend was full of opportunities for attendees to connect with each other and members of the Tuck community. We started off with a faculty panel, where different professors spoke about the academic experience at Tuck, including what it is like to teach students virtually. Professors spoke about how the connection between students and faculty hasn’t changed: each student shows up to class each day (there are no pre-recorded sessions in place of class), and professors stimulate the same interactive dialogue that took place in an in-person classroom. One of the most memorable moments of the conference for me was when, during the panel, Professor Ella Bell Smith spoke about the difference that Tuck has made in her life personally. “Tuck is family and you show up for family,” she told participants.
We were lucky enough to have two amazing keynote speakers join us, Elisabeth Hartley T’05 and Cassie Young T’11. A VC, angel investor and business advisor to early-stage startups, venture-backed and high-growth companies, Lis shared the winding road of her successful career and how she charted uncharted territories. The Tuck community, said Hartley, has been a constant support system throughout her career. “I can reach out to a Tuckie and within 24 hours get personalized advice and mentorship from them. The strength of the Tuck network doesn’t stop,” she said.
Partner at Primary Venture Partners, Cassie’s impactful keynote message left us inspired and ready to take on the unknown. “Making your mark is about quick wins and long-term bets,” she told us. “You can’t control everything, so focus on what you can influence and trust the process. Embrace uncomfortable opportunities, go out into the storm. And don’t forget to be human and have a little fun in the process.”
Other activities over the weekend included a mock class, an alumni panel, a Tuck Talks session, and a salary negotiations workshop.
Of course, the attendees had the chance to have a little fun interacting with each other and current students through small group dinners and small group activities (like yoga, bread making classes, virtual scavenger hunts, and dance lessons).
It was an absolute privilege for Tuck to host over 100 prospective students at our annual WIB Conference. We were so happy to have every attendee take a risk with us—the conference had never been held virtually!—and we hope that through this risk they were able to see the strength of the Tuck fabric.
Jane is a second-year student at the Tuck School of Business. She is from San Diego, CA and majored in History at Mount Holyoke College. Prior to Tuck, Jane lived in New York City where she worked at American Express on the Corporate Strategy team. This summer, she is interning at Google on the Platforms & Ecosystems team. In addition to co-chairing the Women In Business Conference, Jane is a Non-Profit Board Fellow, Leadership Fellow, a committee member of TALK (Tuck Allies through Leadership and Knowledge) and co-chair of the Cheesemongers Club.
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