Conference Links Female Undergraduates, Businesses

As investment banking recruiters storm the Square’s hotels this month and undergraduates fervently declare their love for consulting, female undergraduates gathered last night to network with recruiters at a semi-annual conference hosted by Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business (HUWIB).

Wall Street recruiters schmoozed with the women during an informal reception before two enterprising female professionals from the Boston area spoke to the crowd of 80 undergraduates at the Charles Hotel.

Rhonda Kallman, founder and CEO of New Century Brewing and parent of the famed New England lager, Sam Adams, told the crowd that women are well-suited for success in the business world.

“I’m sorry, there’s no glass ceiling,” said Kallman, referring to the popular term for perceived impediments on female advancement.

But Laura P. Humber ’02, a second-year analyst at Banc of America Securities, said men still dominate on Wall Street.

Attending her first HUWIB event, Tracy L. Britt ’07 said that she feels women still face additional challenges when entering the business world.

“I think in any business, especially these businesses, it’s going to be more difficult,” said Britt.

Last Friday the U.S. Census Bureau reported that women in the United States earned just 77 percent of men’s wages in 2002.

And an upcoming article on female employment by two leading authors in the October issue of Harvard Business Review suggests that women must be more assertive in the workplace to reach the same level as men.

HUWIB Vice-President Joyce L. Jen ’04 said the conference is necessary to provide a forum for women to discuss female issues in the workplace.

Humber, who was attending the conference as a recruiter, said events like the one last night will help the business-focused undergraduates distinguish themselves from the pack of job hunters.

Kallman said women have unique assets that can help them to excel in the business world. She said that being a woman in the predominantly male-run beer industry has often helped her to stand out.

“We’re just put together well,” said Kallman, who took time to hawk her new light beer, Edison, named after the famous inventor of the light bulb.

Alyson R. Gallotta ’06, a HUWIB committee member, said the event was beneficial for the female undergraduates “to see that women can actually go out there and be successful.”

Despite the heavy push of recruiters in the hall, Gallotta said investment banking did not appeal to her.

The speeches by Kallman and Lisa DeSisto, vice president and general manager of Boston.com, highlighted alternatives to the world of finance and banking promoted by the recruiters beforehand.

Representatives from Goldman Sachs, UBS Warburg and other financial firms provided brochures and gave away breath mints, hats and other items emblazoned with their monikers.

Merril Lynch offered magnetic poetry kits featuring terms such as “savvy,” “IPO,” and “profit.”

Both speakers last night said they are confident that women can succeed in today’s job climate, even as unemployment numbers remain high.

As evidence of her success, Kallman provided free bottles of her Edison beer at the conference.

But bartender Maureen Medeiros said that most attendees did not partake.

“You don’t want to seem too intoxicated while talking to an employer,” she said.