This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Fordham chapter.
Gabelli sophomore Lauren Kelly excels in academics, is an RA 24/7, has an internship in the city, AND does it all on the e-board of Smart Women Securities. Inspired yet? So are we. Read on to learn more about Lauren and how she’s balanced everything at Fordham.
Name: Lauren Kelly
School and Year: GSB ‘18
Major: Finance and hoping to minor in something in Rose Hill, like history or political science.
Why did you decide to come to Fordham? It wasn’t originally on the top of my list, but when I visited I fell in love with Fordham and it immediately became my first choice. And no regrets about it! The fun and opportunities that Fordham and NYC have provided me seem too good to be true.
What are you involved in at Fordham? Smart Woman Securities e-board, RA in Martyrs’, Service Learning, and I’m active in several Gabelli clubs.
Tell us more about SWS: SWS is a national organization with chapters at 22 universities, and its mission is finance and investing educations for undergraduate women. For 10 weeks in the spring and fall semesters, we bring in speakers from the industry, from people in front-office roles at investment banks to corporate finance analysts at luxury goods companies. We also have an equity research team of 15 analysts. But we focus as much on building your network as we do on education, through conferences and networking events. We also do social events as a club, like brunches and SoulCycle! SWS has really shaped my time at Fordham so far.
What’s been your favorite experience with SWS? My favorite experience with SWS was definitely last year’s Warren Buffett trip. He is a huge supporter of the club on a national level and every year he invites 20 SWS members to go spend a few days with him in Omaha, Nebraska (his hometown). I claimed a seat next to him at dinner!
Overall in general, I’ve really enjoyed getting to spend time with some really smart and motivated girls. I’ve learned so much from my mentors and peers in the club.
2015 SWS E-Board with Barbara Desoer, CEO of Citibank, and Dr. Donna Rapaccioli, Dean of the Gabelli School of Business.
What’s your advice for a Fordham collegiette looking to get more involved? Think about what you’re truly interested in, and there’s a good chance there’s a club at Fordham for that. My freshman year I joined around a dozen clubs – some were more for education, others for fun, or volunteering. And follow them all on social media! They all do so many fun raffles and giveaways.