Finance is long known to be a male-dominated field with women comprising less than half of the industry, but Pitt Business women in finance are set to break the glass ceiling in their careers. Our students are equally prepared to overcome obstacles and succeed in their roles through real-world learning opportunities as well as experiences in the classroom and in leadership organizations.

The Future of Finance is Female 

Three of the four undergraduate finance clubs at Pitt Business are currently led by women, one being Smart Woman Securities (SWS), a female-focused investment portfolio that trades real funds and educates members on relevant finance topics. The Pitt chapter of this national organization was established during the 2018-19 academic year, after an extensive application process that required over 120 pages of documentation on why Pitt should join the list of elite universities with an SWS chapter. 

Lauren McNichol (BSBA ’23), now a full-time sales & trading analyst in the Institutional Equities Group for Citi, formerly led SWS as both chief development officer and chief executive officer. In these roles, McNichol implemented a new Seminar Series curriculum for members of the organization. 

“I decided to run for CEO because I strongly believed that the baseline curriculum could be improved,” she says. “I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to spread knowledge and ensure a new generation of financial literacy.” 

Like McNichol, other members of Pitt’s SWS chapter are able to apply what they have learned from the organization to their current or future careers in finance. In fact, 100 percent of SWS members are employed at or accepted to their first destination within six months after graduation. 

A Leading Legacy

Members of SWS have been influenced and inspired by Executive-in-Residence (EIR) Kathleen Foody-Malus. Foody-Malus (MBA ’83) is a retired senior executive with over 30 years of diversified investment experience in the financial services industry. She serves as an advisor for SWS and two other undergraduate finance organizations.  

Foody-Malus is highly praised as an inspiration and mentor to women seeking a role in finance. As a female in the finance industry when it was still relatively uncommon, Foody-Malus made it her mission to “send the ladder down” for women to get into the field and feel more confident working in finance and investing. “In order to break the barriers, we’ve got to give our female students the tools to find the courage and prove that they can do it,” she says. “If you’re willing to think outside the box, you’re going to go far. SWS gives you the foundation to do so and builds your confidence. I wish there would have been something like this when I was going into finance.”  

Forging Ahead

Organizations like SWS encourage and support women in finance to forge the path to their future careers. Want to help make a difference? Gifts made to Pitt Business can help SWS and Foody-Malus continue their mission to turn the finance industry on its head.  

To learn more about supporting our student trading funds, email Jodi Weisfield, executive director of development, at jweisfield@katz.pitt.edu.