To celebrate International Women’s History Month, we asked some of the student leaders in the Women in Business Professions (WIBP) student organization to share their thoughts on women helping women, bringing others along and their WIBP experiences. This is the first in a six part series of articles.
Naomy Ortiz
When I first joined WIBP, my intentions were to meet fellow business students at NIU. I was shy and hoped that by joining an on-campus organization I would learn how to step out of my comfort zone. As the years went by, not only was I able to meet a great group of people, but I was able to develop personal and professional skills that have really helped me throughout my academic career. Currently, my position in the organization has given me the opportunity to make some great connections and find a voice in the College of Business.
If you asked me the most surprising thing about being part of WIBP, I never expected to get so much motivation from being a member. One of my favorite aspects of WIBP is hearing from our guest speakers.
One guest speaker in particular had a big influence on me. Richelle Owens came in to speak during my freshman year. Owens is also a College of Business alumna, with an undergraduate degree in management. Currently, Owens is vice president of finance with Duke’s Root Control, a nationwide specialty markets underground service provider that extends the life of critical infrastructure assets. Her presentation was entitled, “A Guide to International Business.” Hearing her describe her journey and all the stories about her experiences fascinated me. Owens described an area of business that I had never been exposed to before. Hearing about it firsthand confirmed for me that finance and accounting were the areas I wanted to study.
As a business major, it is very important for women to support women. Many of us in WIBP find ourselves majoring in fields that are male dominated. This organization has become a great place to find support from other like-minded women.
For example, during my first two years at NIU, I had a lot of questions about how to navigate college, especially as a finance and accountancy double major. I didn’t have someone back home who I could go to and ask questions. My fellow WIBP members are the ones who helped me with any questions I had, and they also gave me the encouragement I needed to continue. I witness this a lot in our organization — members actively supporting and encouraging each other. It’s a big part of what makes the group so valuable for many of us.
On a personal level, my measure for success is being happy with what I have done. Having to manage other commitments while being a student is very time-consuming and sometimes it’s easy to find myself just going through the motions. Whether it be in my academics or at work, if I can look back at something I did and be proud of my work then I can call that a success. I apply the same idea to my work in Women in Business Professions. As the director of service, I not only want to give members opportunities they can benefit from by putting those meaningful experiences on their résumés, but if they can look back on an event and be proud of what they accomplished, then I would call that a success.
Plus, the entire experience has been wonderfully fun!
by Michelle De Jean, director of Marketing NIU College of Business, in collaboration with Naomy Ortiz.
