Jones Journal -- Alumni Magazine of the Jones Graduate School of Management, Rice University

Please send comments to:
Deanna Sheaffer, Editor
Director of Alumni Affairs
Jones School of Management - MS 531 Rice University
P.O. Box 1892
Houston TX 77251-1892
e-mail:JGSalum@rice.edu

GWIB Means Business: Rice Graduate Women in Business Chapter Off to a Strong Start
– By Allison Wright, Class of 2001

Carin Marcy Barth, President of LB Capital, Inc., was the lead off speaker for the Graduate Women in Business series. She exhorted the audience to get involved in the community. “If you take away nothing else from my talk today,” she said, “remember the word ‘charity’—it’s a great way to extend your contacts while serving your cause.”

Since its inception this fall, the Rice University Graduate Women in Business Chapter (also known as GWIB) has been an active force in the Jones School community.

Under the leadership of President Tricia Mitchell Kim (’01), and five vice presidents, GWIB has attracted 50 first- and second-year students, both male and female, who see the need for a student group that actively supports issues relevant to the increasing number of women in the workplace. A national organization since 1979, the Graduate Women in Business organization has chapters at most of the top business schools in the country.

As stated it its Constitution, Rice GWIB’s mission is to promote the education and advancement of women in business by:
• Providing support through networking and mentoring opportunities
• Developing resources and abilities to be successful
• Supporting the goals of the Jones School regarding women • Raising awareness through community outreach.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of the organization to date has been the speaker series. In conjunction with other student organizations such as the Finance Club and the IT Club, GWIB has brought to the Jones School such impressive female leaders in the Houston business community as Carin Marcy Barth, President of LB Capital, Inc., a local investment management firm; Harriet Wasserstrum, Vice Chairman of Chase Bank; and Mary McDowell, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Industry-Standard Server Division of Compaq Computer Corporation. The GWIB speaker events have increased the visibility of women executives at the Jones School and provided a forum for prominent women leaders to share their experiences with students.

Next on GWIB’s agenda are a mentorship program to link female students, alumni, and local business women, and community outreach through alliances with local charitable organizations. Two community service alliances are being considered. One is with the Houston chapter of Dress for Success, which works with local shelters and educational organizations to help low-income women make the transition into the workplace by supplying them with professional clothing. A second service project is Bizworld, a hands-on course to educate 3rd-8th graders on all aspects of creating a business, through the making and selling of friendship bracelets. GWIB is working to organize a team of students to teach Bizworld in a local elementary school in early 2001.

Jennifer Fangue (‘01), vice president of career development, and Tricia Mitchell Kim (‘01), president, will be doing an independent study project in the spring on women in leadership. In addition to studying the current literature on how women lead, Jennifer and Tricia will organize an evening event featuring a panel of prominent women leaders and present a report to the Jones School about how the school can better address the needs of women students.

GWIB seeks the involvement of Jones School alumni to help fulfill its mission. If you are interested in connecting with current students and willing to share your time, talents, and experiences by serving as a mentor, speaker, or panelist, or are simply interested in attending spring speaker events, please contact Allison Wright (‘01), GWIB vice president for alumni affairs, at alwright@rice.edu. If you would like to learn more about GWIB in general, contact Tricia Mitchell Kim (’01) at mitchkim@rice.edu, or log onto the GWIB website at www.ricegwib.org.