YWIB-Chicago: Speed Mentoring Career Fair at the Willis Tower, October 21, 2023

On October 21, 2023, YWIB-Chicago invited high school and undergraduate girls to a speed mentoring event at the Willis Tower. We had six volunteer mentors talk to the 21 girls about their careers in STEM and the paths they took to get there. The mentors were Stephanie Simowski (a program manager for The Nature Conservancy), Flor Abram (a sustainable agriculture specialist for The Nature Conservancy), Marcia Federici (an adjunct professor and pharmaceutical industry veteran), Genesis Chase (a research analyst at Charles River Labs), Linda Kim (a business development manager at GenScript ProBio), and Brianne Kellogg (a registered dietitian at Beyond Hunger).

During the event, the girls were divided into smaller groups and had the opportunity to engage in 15-minute conversations with each of the mentors. At the conclusion of the event, the girls voiced their newfound knowledge about previously unfamiliar career paths, exchanged contact information with the mentors, and discovered potential internship opportunities. The mentors, in turn, thoroughly enjoyed their interactions with the girls. The event was a resounding success, and we hope to repeat this event at least once a year! Special thanks to our event hosts Marshall Gerstein and Borun.