WiB in Review

It is that time of year where we recap all that we have done, learned, and survived. WiB might have gone virtual, but that did not compromise the quality of the meetings. From learning about networking, to body positivity, to even politics and the role it plays in business, WiB has opened up opportunities to everyone this year that were not previously available. We have made new friends, connections, and expanded our realm of possibilities moving forward as Isenberg Women in Business.

We would not have been able to continue to present engaging meetings, events, and opportunities if it were not for our members, so here are some that were spotlighted this year through our Instagram:

Rachael Doyle, 2024

Rachael is a Marketing major from Dracut, MA. This is her first year in WiB and joined mainly for the sense of community the club brought her. She also loves how WiB gives her tips and tricks about the business world to better prepare her moving forward. Her favorite part about WiB is being a part of the Marketing Committee; she was able to learn more about the field and even get some more knowledge on design. Rachael had an internship this semester at Shantikan Wellness as their social media intern! Their Instagram is @ShantikanWellness if you want to check out what Rachael got to do this semester!

Hailey Roche, 2024

Hailey is an OIM major with a minor in Communications from Millis, MA. Hailey joined WiB because she wanted to get the opportunity to make more friends and connections while we were doing everything remotely. She also loves that WiB gives the chance for members to give back to the community. Her favorite part of being in the club has been meeting new people and building a nice and supportive network to kick off her freshman year.

Laura Balinski, 2023

Laura is Marketing major with a minor in Psychology from Wayne, New Jersey. Her favorite part of being in WiB has been joining the Peer Mentorship Program. Within the program she got to meet more upperclassmen that served as great role models for her coming years at UMass. It was her first semester joining it and she has loved every minute of it! Shoutout to her mentor Alyssa!

Aisling Gigandet, 2022

Aisling is Marketing major from Haverhill, MA. Aisling is a transfer student and was very passionate about finding a community within Isenberg, which is why she joined WiB. Her favorite part of WiB has been being a part of an empowering network of women and the Marketing Committee Meetings. She has enjoyed learning more about the industry and talk to students within the program as well as alumni. During her sophomore year, Aisling completed an internship with Infinite Marketing as their Marketing Coordinator.

Gina Zarcone, 2023

Gina is a Finance major from Tallman, NY. She joined WiB to be a part of an empowering group of women that motivate each other to thrive in the business world. She was a part of the Peer Mentorship Program and it was her favorite part of WiB this year, shoutout to her mentor Alyssa!

Julia Curto, 2023

Julia is a Finance and Sport Management double-major from Long Island, NY. WiB to Julia is a club with women just like her who want to support and empower other women in the business industry to thrive. Her favorite part about WiB has been the community it gave her as a student. She loves specifically how everyone wants to make sure everyone is supported and has loved getting to know more people during GB meetings.

Claire Knott, 2023

Claire is a Marketing major from Beverly, MA. Her favorite part about WiB has been getting to know and listen to amazing women come talk about their careers and experiences in business. It has given her a better understanding of the potential career opportunities she has and has been inspired by the speakers that have come to WiB meetings.

Jenna DiDonato, 2021

Jenna is a Marketing major from Easthampton, MA. Jenna joined WiB mainly to be a part of a female-empowerment club, like WiB. She has enjoyed particularly being surrounded by a number of supportive, powerful, and amazing women. Jenna is also a Marketing Intern in the Fragrance Division at Newell Brands.

Suzie Na, 2021

Suzie is an OIM major with a certificate in Business Data Analytics from Newton, MA. She is a transfer student and really wanted to be a part of a community both on campus and within Isenberg, which brought her to joining WiB. Suzie is going to be a Data Analyst Intern at Definitive Healthcare this summer.

Arete Giannetti, 2023

Arete is a Hospitality and Tourism Management major from Boston, MA. She wanted to learn more about Isenberg which led her to joining WiB after transferring into the school. WiB has helped her meet new people and make new connections since joining. Arete is currently a Wellness Intern at UMass Hillel.

Our members have been amazing this semester in connecting with each other and also the speakers that have come. This virtual semester would not be possible without the combined support of our executive board and our members. Additionally, our Co-Presidents Tyler Spellman and Alyssa Biscotti have worked tirelessly to ensure that our meetings were the best of the best and kept us all coming every Monday night at 7pm. We cannot wait to do it all again next semester and come back bigger and stronger! Thank you to everyone who made WiB so great this year, we hope to see you all again next semester, and congratulations to all of the graduating seniors!

Spring Activities to Tide You Over Until We Reach Herd Immunity

By: Aisling Gigandet

If you’re anything like me, you’re dying for summer days filled with family and friends. While herd immunity is almost within reach, we all have a responsibility to protect our communities until then. This spring, try out these activities to gear up for summer and safely pass the time.

Start up your summer book club

It’s officially set-up-a-blanket-by-the-campus-pond-and-read season. With hopefully just a few weeks to go until you and your friends are free for summer soirées, now is a great time to start up a book club! Grab your gals and choose a book or two to blow through this spring, before your first in-person book club meeting this summer or fall. 

Take a “trash walk”

Hear me out- if you’re sick of your normal quarantine walk route, this spring is the perfect time to accessorize your walk with rubber gloves and a trash bag. Affectionately dubbed a “trash walk” in my household, try spending just 30 minutes removing trash from a local area that you frequent. Cleaning up your neighborhood or a nature trail with your roommates is a great way to get outside and be productive. You’ll definitely earn some good karma- and I hear rubber gloves are very trendy this spring. 

Plant an herb garden

Most herbs don’t require a lot of planting experience or any major financial investment. While spring is a great time to start plants outside, you can grow herbs inside year-round, and harvest your fresh basil or cilantro as needed. For a more involved project, you can also test out your green thumb with summer squash, peppers, carrots, lettuce, or other fruits and veggies. Putting in the work this spring will set you up for a yummy summer!

Go stargazing

Between May 4-6, you just might catch a glimpse of shooting stars from the Eta Aquariid meteor shower. If you happen to live in the western U.S., you could view a total lunar eclipse on May 26th! On the east coast, while we probably won’t spot a lunar eclipse, May 26 and June 24th will both grant appearances of supermoons. Even if you don’t observe a meteor shower or lunar eclipse, stargazing (alone or with a roommate) gives you the chance to step back from your busy life, and appreciate the world we live in.

With finals in full swing, don’t forget to take time for yourself. It can be easy to overlook, but any one of these activities can get you outside and enjoying yourself! Of course, keep in mind any CDC and local guidelines that could apply to you while you undertake any of these activities.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html 

School Year Recap: Remembering the Good Instead of the Bad

By: Rachael Doyle

Looking back, this school year is definitely not what I had hoped for. I was so excited to get on campus to meet new people, try new things, and make plenty of memories. Instead I’ve been stuck in my room staring at my laptop for the past year wondering when my life will actually start. But I know I’m not alone. Students all around the world are experiencing the same thing, as life in a remote world seems to take an immense toll on our physical and mental health. Now that we have reached the light at the end of the tunnel, it is important to reflect on what got us through these hard times. Whether it be something as simple as a favorite snack or the help of a supportive teacher, remembering the good that got us through this past year will hopefully allow us to move forward from these hardships and into next year with a positive mindset. 

Here are some things that I wouldn’t have been able to survive this school year without.

The Morning Coffee Run

The only thing that got me up in time for my early classes was the thought of my morning coffee. Each day I would wake up, get ready, and hop in the car on the hunt for cold brew. My usual spot was (and always will be) Dunkin’, but sometimes when in the mood I’d take the 20 minute trek to my local Starbucks. This time to myself each morning seemed simple, but trust me when I say it was so needed. While it seems silly, these drives would always put me in a good mood and allow me to have a productive day. 

My Professors!!

This school year has been hard on everyone, including teachers and professors. My mom is a high school teacher, and watching her have to navigate the pressures of our constantly changing education system in 2020 has given me a newfound perspective on what our professors at UMass must be going through. Despite this I have yet to face any issues this year, as each professor I have had has been flexible and understanding toward the needs of their students. They constantly check in on us to make sure we are doing okay, and sometimes I even get extensions on assignments without even asking for them. Their kindness and transparency has been a huge help to me this school year, and has made my first year at UMass so much easier. 

Trying Something New

Another way I would fill my time usefully was by finding new hobbies and activities to try. I wanted to be able to do something that I would enjoy while also getting away from my phone. This led me to start learning how to play the piano! I got a used one from my local music store, set it up in my room, and taught myself the basics. This new hobby gave me something to feel passionate about, and I constantly practiced in hopes of getting better. It helped me feel productive while also getting a break from my schoolwork, and overtime I slowly started getting better. While I am still not great at playing the piano, I look forward to practicing almost every day and even hope to take formal lessons one day. 

Extracurriculars 

One of the things that I looked forward to the most this semester was my extracurriculars. Many students probably thought that clubs held virtually “wouldn’t be the same”, but I actually think that this year has allowed many clubs to be more creative and personable despite their setting. As a freshman that didn’t get to live on campus, I was scared that I would fall behind socially, and that I would miss out on what was happening at UMass. However, the clubs that I was involved in this year like WiB and the Isenberg Marketing Committee helped me connect to other students that shared my interests. I was able to listen to guest speakers that inspired me, participate in fundraisers for great causes, and even get advice on campus life that I can use for next year. Staying involved in as many extracurriculars as possible helped me do so many things that I wouldn’t have otherwise, and it is one of the best decisions I made for myself this year.

I hope my yearly reflection inspired you to think about some of your favorite things from this past school year. It can be something as simple as your favorite snack, or an event that inspired you to do something great. Be sure to write these things down, and think about how they will inspire you to enter next semester as a better version of yourself. 

Body Talk.

By: Jenna DiDonato

As Summer is coming up and we are already shopping for that perfect swimsuit…there seems to be the underlying fear of how will my body look?! As women, we are told our bodies aren’t the “right size” or they don’t have the “right look”. And this doesn’t magically end once we are older, it’s a constant struggle. 

As someone who is and has always been on the thinner side, I have experienced body shaming which has then turned into self hatred. I don’t eat enough, I have no muscle, I look like a child, parts of my body aren’t big or small enough, I should eat more meat...I could go on and on about all the lies I’ve been told and have believed. I know I am not the only one who has gone through this. It’s hard not to believe when you see girls and women on TV who are “desirable” and “dateable”, and no, not represented as my body type.

And looking at the past couple years, it’s only recently that we have plus size models on the forefront. And woman with all breast sizes. Or people with different skin types and colors. With freckles. With beauty marks. With something “different” than the ordinary! This is what we have needed all throughout life, as women, as little kids. What everyone needs is representation of ALL bodies that ALL look different. We need young & old, transgender & non gender conforming, we need gay & straight, we need black & white, we need plus size, we need thin size, we need ANY size.

What I have to focus on, is loving my own body and re-learning that I am perfect just the way I am. Yes, let’s build each other up, but let’s not forget to build ourselves up too. I am a strong, beautiful and healthy woman, and I will wear whatever swimsuit or dress or shirt that feels good on and for ME. 

And Never forget, there’s no winning in comparison, so love your body up!

Consumer Values: What do you Look for in a Brand?

By: Lauren Hughes

Online shopping platforms have given consumers an overwhelming number of options to choose from. As companies continue to enter the ecommerce space, consumers are faced with more choices. How does one choose which brand to shop from? Many people take into account the price and quality of the product. However, consumer behavior is changing. Consumers are more focused on corporate social responsibility, and whether they are supporting brands whose values align with our own. Corporations continually craft bold mission statements to explain how they will grow their business, while abiding by legal and environmental standards; these mission statements are not enough to establish consumer trust. An article from Forbes explains, “Although 81% say trust impacts their purchasing decisions, only a third of people say they trust the brands they buy from” (Fertik, 2019). So, how can we learn to trust companies and feel confident in our purchasing decisions? 

Company Initiatives

Company websites will often have an initiatives page; this is where the company will share information about their efforts to be socially responsible. Important information to look for includes the types of resources they use to produce their products, and how their operations impact the environment. Additionally, donating to charitable causes and volunteering initiatives are positive signs of a company who’s looking to do more than simply maximize shareholder wealth. 

ESG Ratings

Public companies are given Environmental Social Governance (ESG) ratings. These ratings help investors determine whether a company is worth investing in, based on which end of the spectrum they are scored on. Some of the factors that ESG measures are carbon footprint, water usage, natural resource conservation, employee working conditions, and accurate accounting principles (Chen, 2021). Comparing company initiatives with their ESG scores can show whether they are “greenwashing”, or truly committed to running a socially responsible business. All UMass students have access to the ESG Manager on Campus database, which provides in-depth ESG reports for hundreds of companies! 

Online Presence

Having a presence on social media is critical for business success. It is important to look at how a company engages with their consumers online, and whether they respond to customer feedback. For example, if they ignore negative feedback, maybe they are not “operating in the consumer’s best interest” (Fertik, 2019). Looking at their social media page can also give insights into company values; if you relate/feel passionate about the content they share, you are shopping with the right brand!

Some brands that have successfully developed a socially responsible reputation include Levi Strauss, Ben & Jerry’s, LEGO, and Google. As consumers, we want to make sure our money is being spent in the right places. It can be difficult to determine whether companies will truly uphold their promises to be socially responsible, using the resources above will help.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelfertik/2019/11/26/how-to-get-customers-to-trust-you/?sh=24b19c44f8d6

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/environmental-social-and-governance-esg-criteria.asp

https://www.vault.com/blogs/workplace-issues/5-ways-to-identify-a-companys-social-responsibility

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4679-corporate-social-responsibility.html