Will Muller ‘23

Staff Writer

The Women in Business Committee, an on-campus club with hundreds of student members and an impressive group of supporting alumni, have started the build up for the 17th Women in Business Conference, slated for Nov. 17. This year’s keynote speaker is Erin Robert ’06, a managing director and the head of impact investing at JP Morgan Chase, who will join committee members and alumni for a number of workshops and presentations. 

Last year, more than 300 students attended the conference, which included a presentation from Kate Jhaveri ’95, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of the National Basketball Association. This year’s rendition is sure to bring a similar crowd, especially as it includes opportunities for mentorship and networking for students of all majors. The committee is composed of 10 Holy Cross students with a variety of academic backgrounds, a quality Robert herself epitomizes as she graduated with a double major in economics and political science.

The Conference presents itself as valuable time to learn and network through its presentations and workshop sessions. It will kick off with an introduction from the committee as well as Professor Elizabeth O’Connell Inman of the Spanish department. Soon after, classics Professor Nancy Andrews will join Robert on stage for a conversation about her experience at Holy Cross and beyond.

A variety of different in-person workshops will be held both in the morning and in the afternoon, where students and alumni will guide attendants through helpful ways to prepare for professional life. All the workshops will happen at the same time, but with workshops like “The Business of Art” and “Marketing Your Major,” there will be something for people in any stage of their professional careers. 

Both remote and in-person attendees will also be able to attend the “Mentor Lunch Panel,” a discussion between Jessica Vona ’08, human resources senior director at PepsiCo, Cara Hume ’03, chief human resources officer at Arrowstreet Capital, and Jean Schnorr ’93, director of enrollment management at Saint Paul School. The three visiting alumni will join committee members for a conversation about mentorship at Holy Cross. People tuning in on Zoom can also check out a virtual campus tour or see a timeline of co-education at Holy Cross, which started 50 years ago this fall. 

Attendees will have a chance to talk to the visiting alumni and speakers at the hour-long networking session that closes out the conference. Students can register for the event online.