Biolsi ’12: Annual Women in Business Conference Inspires Future Holy Cross Leaders

For the past three years, I’ve had the distinct honor of serving as one of the student organizers for the Women in Business Conference, which honors the success of Holy Cross women in business and inspires future Holy Cross leaders. I hope to enter the business world following graduation, and meeting these remarkable women has been truly inspiring. After each conference I am in awe at how many, well, awesome women have graduated from Holy Cross.

This marked the fifth anniversary of the annual conference, which has grown substantially since its inception. David Chu, prebusiness advisor and director of the Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies says, “I see immense potential for our Holy Cross Women in Business network and look forward to its expansion in the future.”

To mark the fifth year anniversary, here are five things you need to know about the 2010 Women in Business Conference which took place on Sept. 25.

1. As in previous years, demand was exceptional. The event was booked solid after registration was open for just one week. More than 120 alumnae, and 80 students were present at the conference. This alone speaks volumes about the Holy Cross network. Alumnae enjoy returning to their alma mater to reconnect with their classmates, and students are eager to meet and network with the successful women. 2. There are an unbelievably large number of Holy Cross alumnae who have excelled in the field of business. I met Sheila Cavanaugh ’81, senior vice president at Fidelity Investments; Andrea McKenna ’78, vice president and chief marketing officer at Friendly’s Ice Cream Corporation; and Mary Ross ’76, senior vice president/financial advisor at ValCur International Inc., just to name a few. 3. As conference participants repeatedly made clear, a liberal arts education is the best preparation for a career in business. The theme of this year’s conference was “How to utilize the strengths of a liberal arts education in the world of business.” Holy Cross students graduate with diverse majors, yet share the common background and foundation fostered by a liberal arts education. Our peers in the work world may come from top business schools, but it is our ability to think independently, communicate effectively, and our willingness to embrace challenges that set us apart. 4. An art history major, Carolyn O’Keefe ’78, senior vice president of marketing at IHOP Corporation, personified the conference theme in her keynote address. She talked about the importance of being open-minded and hard working —accepting as many opportunities that come your way; forbidding a difficult employment market from discouraging you; and never feeling like any task is below you or doesn’t fit into your busy schedule by embracing a “no is not an option” philosophy. 5. “If you find a job you love, you will never work a day in your life” said Mary Donahue Quinlan ’76, advertising director at Cosmopolitan magazine, in her panel, “Launching your Career with a Great First Job.” This is just one of the many exceptional alumnae-designed panels offered during the conference; others included “Enrich your Life: Lessons Learned from the Journey of College Hill to Corporate America,” “The Great Juggling Act: You, Your Work, Your Life,” “Defining Advertising, Marketing, & PR,” and “Networking 101.”

Save the date! Next year’s Women in Business Conference is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2011. If previous years are any indication, the conference will fill up fast!

By Juliana Biolsi ’12

Juliana, a psychology major from Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., is an intern in the Office of Public Affairs.