Student and alumnae attendees of the 2019 women’s luncheon.
Since 2015, TFN has hosted an annual event for women in financial services in New York City to strengthen the Tufts community of alumnae professionals. This April, we partnered this gathering with “Women on Wall Street Day,” an empowering program that brought 17 current students to the city to learn and network with Tufts alumni and other industry leaders.
Women on Wall Street Day
Organized by Tufts Career Center, “Women on Wall Street Day” is a travel program made possible by a generous gift to Tufts Finance Initiative. While anonymous, the program’s donor is a successful businesswoman in her own right, who desired to designate her support to create inclusive academic and professional experiences for Tufts students, including young women. As a result, all expenses, including transit and food, were provided.
The day kicked off at Credit Suisse, where Jill Ford, J93, Managing Director/Head of ECM Americas Syndicate, organized a panel of colleagues to discuss the world of finance and Credit Suisse’s Women’s Mentor Program. In the afternoon, the students also toured the trading floor at Credit Suisse before heading to FTV Capital, where Managing Director and TFN Advisory Committee member Brad Bernstein, A89, hosted the group for a discussion about the types of skills needed to work in private equity and the skills they could expect to gain in this sector. FTV staff also walked the students through example investments to help broaden their understanding of the mechanics of private equity.
5th Annual Women’s Event
Featured speakers Dana Herrman, J91, and Shikha Jindal, A07.
Designed specifically for Tufts alumnae and parents working in financial services and related fields, the Women’s Event is an annual gathering of finance professionals in New York City. This year’s event was unique as it offered alumnae the opportunity to connect with students directly on their turf in the epicenter of business.
Credit Suisse hosted the group for lunch, and 25 Tufts alumnae attended. With students, there were more than 40 participants, who spread across several tables for informal conversations, advice gathering and networking. For the speaking program, Dana Herrman, J91, Senior Vice President at Sanford Bernstein and member of the TFN Advisory Committee, and Shikha Jindal, A07, Director at Barclays, interviewed one another on career trajectories and the challenges and opportunities facing future hires across industries and sectors.
Herrman noted in her remarks how much the industry has changed since launching her career in the early 90s, and that working the trade desk was always her favorite position. “In a time when all industries are changing and feeling the squeeze of automation, it was fun to reflect with this group of motivated and energized young professionals that some constants remain,” said Herrman. She added, “working the trade desk is a great way to start your career and I enjoyed sharing the valuable lessons and skills I gained in this space. I hope they found it helpful, too.”
Jindal commented on the need to develop skills early and leverage your networks as you pursue growth and the next challenge. “Students have big aspirations and bigger hurdles to overcome when they are attempting to launch their careers after Tufts,” she said. “Events like this are so valuable for both the alumnae and students because they bring together individuals with mutual experiences, most notably our ties to Tufts, and provide an intimate space to network, share resources and discuss challenges.”
This spring, TFN will host the 6th annual Women’s Event in New York City. To express your interest in attending, e-mail tfn@tufts.edu. To view photos of the 5th annual event, click here.