Retention & Advancement Programs
Supporting our Alumni as They Grow and Navigate Their Careers
GWI’s Retention and Advancement Programs build Alumni’s skills, nurture their communities, and equip them to continue their investing journeys. Programing is available to all 4,000+ GWI Alumni.
Applications for our 2026 Investor Leadership Program (ILP) and Investor Circles (IC) are now open!
Enrolled GWI Alumni have access to:
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Professional Mentorship
to facilitate your personal career growth and development with extended support offered beyond onsite programming.
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Community Building
collaborate with your peers and exapnd your professional relationships.
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Skills & Training
Sample topics may include negotiations, executive presence, leadership assessment, confidence building and more.
Investor Circles (IC)
The four-month program assembles early-career investors into a small, closely-knit circle — each led by a senior and mid-career investor. Aiming to cultivate community, foster professional connections, and provide valuable career guidance, the program supports the goal of retaining women in investment management.
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Learn from your peers by exchanging ideas, experiences, and strategies that you have picked up throughout your early career while fostering broader connections and a stronger sense of belonging within the industry
Receive career navigation advice and discuss essential career topics with experienced investment management professionals, who will provide guidance, insights, and real-world perspectives to participants while gaining a comprehensive understanding of career progression in investment management
Gain exposure to industry professionals and perspectives beyond your current firm
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Investor Circles NYC is currently only open to GWI Alumni. Additional eligibility guidelines are below:
Role: Must be in an investing role (buy-side preferred).
Tenure: 1-3 years into your career. (Note: If you will be working in or starting a full-time investing role by May 2026, you are eligible.)
Location: All participants must be willing and able to travel to New York City for in-person programming, at participant's cost.
Affiliation: Open to Alumni of the GWI Summer Intensive or Online Intensive Programs
Asset class: Any
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Dates to be announced Spring 2026!
“I cannot emphasize enough how grateful I am to have been part of this program. This was transformational in my career journey and has left me with lifelong friends and lessons.”
-Sara Sotirov, GWI Class of 2020
Investor Leadership Program (ILP)
The program kicks off with a three-day on-site intensive where participants have the opportunity to learn from world-class business school professors, connect with other GWI Alumni working in investment management, and join a community committed to helping each other advance through the industry. Continued programming will be offered for three months following the in-person program with a graduation celebration planned in December 2026.
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Collaborate with your peers and expand your professional relationships in a cohort-based learning environment.
Receive mentorship to facilitate your personal career growth and development.
Take the time and space to grow your confidence and your skills. Sample topics may include negotiations, executive presence, leadership assessment, and management.
Engage with the program's extended support, offered remotely for beyond the on-site portion of the program, which includes meetings with influential leaders, additional skill-building, and ongoing collaboration and community.
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Role: Must be in an investing position on the buy-side
Tenure: Mid-Career Level (Typically 3-7 years into your career or approaching promotion)
Location: Must be able to travel to Philadelphia for program dates selected in your application but can then be based anywhere for the continued programming in the following months.
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Dates to be announced Spring 2026!
