Our History

2000

10 Harvard women founded Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business (HUWIB). The first conference, "Preparing to Lead", attracted 250 participants.

2002

HUWIB held its first-ever WIBternship, where 40 new Associates were inducted into the organization. HUWIB headed to New York City for its first Corporate Outreach trip.

2005

HUWIB held its first annual Intercollegiate Business Convention (IBC), attracting nearly 400 students from schools across New England.

Borden founded the HUWIB Corporate Mentorship Program, which pairs undergraduate women with professional business mentors.

2006

HUWIB went on its first Career Exploration Trip to San Francisco, California, visiting companies in different industries.

HUWIB launched the mini-MBA curriculum designed to educate Associates and to develop important business skills.

HUWIB debuted the first issue of its annual magazine, Make It Happen, which has since then evolved into The Glass Floor.

2007

HUWIB introduced a variety of programs, including business school prep events, career development events, and the Externship Program.

The WIBternship program grew 30% and HUWIB welcomed 185 new undergraduate women to the organization.

HUWIB also launched the Corporate Mentorship Program and Young Women in Business (YWIB).

2009

HUWIB worked with two other student groups to organize the first annual Women’s Stock Pitch Competition. HUWIB introduced an annual Women’s Business Convention (now renamed International Women in Business [IWIB]) and a Social Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition (now renamed the Innovation Challenge).

HUWIB creates a publication called Make it Happen, which is a magazine released monthly.

2010

HUWIB Undergraduate and Alumnae Boards collaborated to celebrate the HUWIB Decennial and create a HUWIB Advisory Board, comprised of leading professional women and men in the business world. HUWIB saw the largest WIBtern class ever with over 150 new members in the fall.

2014

HUWIB celebrated IBC’s tenth anniversary with a record attendance of over 1,200 students. Keynotes included New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson, Chanel CEO Maureen Chiquet, and model-coder Lyndsey Scott. We also traveled on our second international Career Exploratory trip to Shanghai and hosted our first-ever “WIB Week” to showcase HUWIB’s exceptional programming.

2017

HUWIB launched The Young Women Business Leadership Conference (YWBLC), now known as the Business Oriented Leadership Development (BOLD) conference, which brought together over 150 high school women throughout the nation who shared a passion for business, and built a community of support and empowerment.

Mary Erodes does a panel session.

2018

HUWIB launched The Glass Floor, an online women’s business publication written by Harvard students and working professionals.

IBC: held in the Harvard Science Center.

2019

The Diversity Committee was launched and led its inaugural Social Impact Conference (SIC), which provides a day dedicated to discussion on diversity within fields of social impact, innovation, and philanthropy.

HUWIB has its first Boston trek

HUWIB has its first diversity dinner

HUWIB has its first formal (gala), held at Chart House

IBC: held at Seaport World Trade Center

2020

HUWIB created its own brokerage account and official investing arm of the organization, under the Finance Committee. HUWIB also launched the HUWIB Shop to more easily order HUWIB merchandise in an online format.

2021

The Philanthropy Committee was launched and led the first WIB Gala benefiting Bright Pink to prevent breast and ovarian cancer in young women.

WIB gala: held in Garage basement.

Boston treks: BCG.

2022

IBC: held at Marriott Copley Hotel

BOLD: held in the SEC

WIB gala: canceled by the venue (Queens Head Pub)

Boston treks: BCG, Whoop, Wayfair, Bain

2023

The Treasurer role was reintroduced

WIB has its first spring comp

IBC: held in Harvard Science Center with ~370 attendees

BOLD: held in the SEC with ~200 attendees

WIB gala: held in the SOCH

The Philanthropy committee worked with Casa Myrna 

Boston treks: Atreides, Bain

2024

The Secretary role was reintroduced

The Investing Committee merged with Career Development

Philanthropy and parts of the Member Development Committee joined together to become community engagement

Membership Development focuses solely on the WIBternship

IBC: held in Sanders Theater with ~X attendees, $X earned

BOLD: held in the SEC with 300+ attendees, the highest ever

SIC is now integrated with IBC and BOLD

International trip to London

Boston treks: WHOOP, Fidelity, Bessemer, BCG, Bain, Liberty Mutual

 

Founded in 2000 by 10 undergraduate students, HUWIB has grown into a leading community of empowerment for college women at Harvard and beyond.

HUWIB strives to empower and unite a dynamic group of 700+ enterprising young women at Harvard University through business education and experience. With an executive board and 9 sub-committees, HUWIB creates programming that introduces aspiring business leaders to a diverse range of business opportunities.

Learn about what our organization has been up to by scrolling through the website!

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