Why Communities of Women Work
ANNA NICKERSON, GWI ‘20
ANNA, A RISING SENIOR AT BABSON COLLEGE MAJORIING IN FINANCE, SHARES HOW THE COMMUNITIES OF WOMEN SHE’S PART OF HAVE SUPPORTED AND EMPOWERED HER.
When I was a first-year, I decided to go through the sorority recruitment process.
As a self-proclaimed "anti-sorority girl" in high school, I went against my previous notions of Greek life and decided to go for it. I had a difficult time forging authentic relationships in my first semester of college, so I figured I'd give it a shot.
I realized upon joining my sorority, Chi Omega, that it was the first community of women I had been a part of in my life. When I joined, all my previous misconceptions were replaced with genuine feelings of acceptance, warmth, and belonging.
I'm not here to market my sorority, or Greek life in general, to you though. The point I want to make is that communities of women, no matter what form they take, are important cornerstones for cultivating friendships, mentorships, and professional relationships.
I'm not here to market my sorority, or Greek life in general, to you though. The point I want to make is that communities of women, no matter what form they take, are important cornerstones for cultivating friendships, mentorships, and professional relationships.
When I went through the Girls Who Invest program last summer, I knew that being a part of a strong community of women was important for my social life, mental health, and personal development. But I had no idea how impactful a virtual community could be.
Throughout the course of the summer, I met other GWI women in breakout rooms on Zoom and through social media.
It was eye-opening for me to meet women from other schools, backgrounds, and all different walks of life. Although I haven't met many of them in person, I stay in touch with them year-round and am living with a few of my GWI friends in San Francisco this summer!
As I reflected on my virtual experience with GWI, I realized yet again how important a circle of women is. I had experienced this with my sorority in person before COVID-19, but experiencing it with 60 other women virtually was an entirely different story. I didn't know it was possible before that experience to form deep connections through just a computer screen.
I wanted to continue feeling part of a supportive community, so I sought out other options once the GWI Summer Intensive Program ended. In December, I joined Project W in an effort to bolster the virtual community amongst women between Babson College, Olin College, and Wellesley College (BOW).
A new program: Spring Cohort
I took the lead on developing a new program called Spring Cohort, relying on my experience leading in Chi Omega as well as learning from the best at Girls Who Invest. Along with the rest of the Project W team, I launched Spring Cohort successfully to create a virtual community of diverse women, many of whom have expressed they feel a newfound sense of belonging.
As I think about these three separate communities full of strong, encouraging, courageous women, there is one common thread: empowerment. Never have I felt more empowered to share my thoughts, ideas, struggles, and achievements than in the communities of women I’ve found throughout my time in college.
As a woman entering the field of finance and private equity, I often feel like I have to fight for a seat at the table — one filled with men. Communities of women work because we have a deep level of empathy for one another regarding our professional, and sometimes social, experiences. Since joining these communities, I feel more empowered by other women and thus more confident in myself no matter what situation I find myself in. I am proud of the communities I’ve joined, built, and been a part of. And more importantly, I cannot wait to see what the future of women communities looks like and how I can be a part of it.
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