History and Timeline

HISTORY

Ten undergraduate Harvard women founded Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business in the fall of 2000. The first Annual Conference-"Preparing to Lead"-was held at the Charles Hotel on December 4th of that year, attended by 250 Harvard women and company representatives. Sponsored by Goldman Sachs & Co., the conference featured speakers Angela Shapiro, President of ABC Daytime and Buena Vista Productions, Jacquelyn Hoffman-Zehner, partner at Goldman Sachs & Co., and Patricia Pomerleau, CEO of CEOexpress.com. With such high attendance, the founders recognized their organization was fulfilling a vital need at Harvard, and from that kick-off event, the membership of HUWIB grew from 10 to its current size of approximately 100 active associates and 400 members who receive information through WIB's publications and mailing lists, and who are involved in the club's various panels, events, and activities.

WIB's subsequent conferences garnered campus-wide attention, and these annual events became supplemented with regular panels on investment banking, consulting, business dress, and networking. In 2001 WIB's mentorship program became a reality, and the following year the organization arranged with sponsors to lead members on an April trip to New York City's financial district, an event that has become a club hallmark. As the club grew, it attracted the attention of a wider array of companies seeking to recruit on campus, and today, in addition to regular events to which company representatives are invited to meet with members in a social setting, Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business enjoys recent membership partnerships with Harvard Business School's Women's Business Association, Microsoft's Marketing department, and Goldman Sachs' 85 Broads network.

TIMELINE

Fall 2000
Ten undergraduate women seek to create a female-oriented business presence at Harvard. After preliminary meetings, Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business is formed and registered with the University.

December 4, 2000
WIB's first annual conference, "Preparing to Lead," is held at the Charles Hotel for 250 Harvard women and company representatives.

Spring 2001
Interest in WIB expands; approximately 200 women are receiving event and internship opportunity information over the organization's mailing lists.

The 2000-2001 Executive Board holds an open application process to choose the next year's Board. WIB expands into a committee structure to meet the growing demand of the Harvard population and to provide more leadership opportunities for its membership.

April 26, 2001
"Inspiring Women," WIB's second conference, is held at the Charles Hotel and is open to the entire Harvard community, men included.
December 6, 2001
Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business' third conference, "Spheres of Influence," showcases not-for-profit business to the WIB community, for the first time seeking to expand its scope and introduce members to a less traditional business path.

Spring 2002
WIB holds its first official "comp," a two-month process during which undergraduates apply for membership and compete for a limited number of committee positions. WIB's core membership increases to approximately 40 women who plan for and serve an active community base of around 80 women.

April 2002
WIB sponsors its first trip to New York City. Members are privileged to attend company visits at many of the club's sponsors, have their resumes reviewed at a series of workshops, and meet industry representatives from public relations and medical management as well as the more traditional finance fields.

Fall 2002
The organization's second comp process attracts over 50 new "compers" who attend weekly meetings to acquaint themselves with WIB and general business issues. The Mentorship program, begun in 2001, expands to include 70 women for which monthly group-wide and pair activities are held.

December 5, 2002
WIB's fourth conference, "A Business Kaleidoscope: Visions of Enterprising Women," takes place at the Charles Hotel, almost two years to the day since the club's first conference heralded its induction into the ranks of Harvard's top co-curricular organizations.

Spring 2003
WIB continues to expand its offerings, hosting mentorship dinners, panels on traditional and non-traditional business careers, and its second trip to New York City.

Fall 2003
WIB hosts its largest comp class yet, requiring the establishment of a new Executive Board position, Membership Chair. The club's fall conference, "Making it Happen: The Urban Entrepreneurial Experience," attracts attendees from across the Harvard community.

Spring 2004
Led by an energetic and visionary new Executive Board, WIB publicizes more options than ever before to its membership and the campus community, including the Leadership Initiative Series, Harvard Business School Three-Part Introductory Series, Business Roundtables to discuss current business concerns in the media, and its third trip to New York City.