Stories From School: Moments that Matter
August 21, 2025
Last night, FWA board member Katrin Dambrot hosted Stories from School, an evening of connection and community in support of the FWA Mentorship and Scholarship Program at Seton Hall University.
The theme of the evening was moments that matter. Guests shared personal accounts of mentors and experiences that shaped their college years and early careers—powerful reminders of how guidance and opportunity can change lives.
Thanks to our generous supporters, we’ve raised $17,000 toward our $25,000 goal! To help us continue supporting the next generation of leaders, make a gift here.
We are excited to announce that the Financial Women’s Association will host its next International Business Conference in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in April 2026. This one-week immersive conference will feature high-level meetings with financial leaders, global innovators, and cultural experiences. If you’d like to receive early updates and priority access as plans develop, please complete the short interest form below. Space will be limited.
On July 29, the FWA’s 2025 Wall Street Exchange Program held its graduation ceremony. Over eight weeks this summer, 72 rising college seniors from 41 universities with summer internships in finance roles with 40 companies embarked on a journey of growth, learning, and connection. WSE is designed to empower the next generation of financial leaders with tools, insights, and relationships that will last far beyond the summer. Thank you to Wells Fargo Advisors for hosting an inspiring closing event — and to Brenda Titus who shared heartfelt and powerful advice to her 21-year-old self. Among the takeaways were reminders that it’s important to take risks and fail fast, to choose your circle wisely, that the greatest growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone, and that it’s important to find mentors, not idols. After Titus’ presentation, Gerri Bostick and Laura Smith Dunaief, WSE Co-chairs, and Albana Theka, FWA’s President, presented graduates with their program completion certificates. Congratulations to the 2025 graduates! We look forward to seeing you continue your journey with FWA and beyond. The future is brighter because of you. Special thanks to Wells Fargo Advisors for sponsoring this in-person celebration and to all of this summer’s speakers, who bring this program to life for the interns who represent financial services’ future. A huge thank you to this year's sponsors: AbleMarkets, Amazon Web Services, Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc, Citizens Bank, Goldman Sachs, Joele Frank, Knopeman Marks, MUFG, PwC, SMBC, and Wells Fargo Advisors. Thanks also to the WSE committee members and the FWA Office for their support.
Early August brought two standout networking events for women in finance hosted by the Financial Women's Association. One took place on the green, the other in Midtown NYC, and both highlighted the power of professional connection and community. On August 5, the FWA’s Long Island Committee hosted its 12 th Annual Golf Outing at Cold Spring Country Club, one of Long Island’s premier private courses. Members and guests joined for competitive and fun foursomes, a PGA-led golf clinic, and an evening of cocktails, dinner, raffles, and prizes. "It was a great group of people doing something fun together. I learned new things on the green and got some great professional advice on two pressing issues I am facing. That is the power of FWA events,” said Alissa Desmarais, FWA Executive Director & COO. FWA member Maria Maris added, “What a fun afternoon/evening this was! Already looking forward to the next one.” A special thank you to the Long Island Committee and our generous sponsors for making this women’s finance networking event a success.
Interns participating in the Wall Street Exchange Program gathered virtually for the program’s sixth session, sponsored and facilitated by MUFG. The session, titled “Own Your Career: Taking Personal Accountability to Drive Your Destiny,” focused on career ownership, mindfulness, and managing workplace stress, essential tools for thriving in today’s dynamic financial sector. The event opened with a welcome from WSE Co-Chair, Gerri Bostick, who introduced lead facilitator Marguerita Courtney, Managing Director, Global Learning at MUFG. Marguerita then welcomed her colleagues Enid D. Jean-Claude, Deputy General Counsel, Managing Director at MUFG and Raquel Azevedo, Assistant General Counsel, Director at MUFG, who each brought powerful personal and professional perspectives to the discussion. Marguerita kicked off the session by emphasizing that career mobility is a shared responsibility and interns must take charge of their own development. This includes honest self-assessment, flexibility, and the initiative to seek learning beyond their job description. “There’s no one right way to do things,” she reminded attendees, “so don’t take everything personally.” Enid and Raquel shared practical tips such as recognizing organizational culture shifts and the critical importance of human connection. As Enid put it, “Everything in life is about the human connection.” Breakout group discussions followed on the topic of workplace stress and coping strategies. Interns shared challenges such as navigating downtime and finding purpose when workloads are light. Collectively, they offered creative solutions like scheduling coffee chats, shadowing colleagues, and exploring new areas of the organization. The session included a guided mindfulness exercise led by Raquel, who offered the following tips for success: Know yourself Be curious and open Identify your core values Be kind and be flexible MUFG’s evolving mindfulness initiative, introduced over a decade ago by Director Tsewang Namgyal, now extends to its C-Suite leaders. Interns learned how “slowing down to pause” can boost creativity and resilience. The MUFG team also shared resources including the e-book Integrating Compassion into the Financial Services Industry and recommended Janice Marturano’s book, Finding the Space to Lead . A heartfelt thank you to the MUFG team for empowering our interns with wisdom that supports not just career growth, but personal well-being. The WSE Co-Chairs, Gerri Bostick and Laura Smith Dunaief, and Committee extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to the President’s Circle Firms, Partnership Circle Firms, and Friends of the FWA for their unwavering support and generosity to the interns and the Wall Street Exchange Program.
