Life in Roma: Sara Young

Buongiorno from Roma! I am very excited that I can take a break from homework to write to you fine women!

Being here in Rome has been a total dream come true for me. There are endless things to do and see here. My school lies right across the bridge from the beautiful Castel Sant’Angelo, due east of St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican City. Our classes are really awesome because we have required field trips every Wednesday all around the city. I get to see and study places like the Colosseum, Vittoriano, Roman Forum, Pantheon and Vatican for class credit! I am also a part of a photography class which is great because I can bring more of a creative eye to the photos I will be bringing home. Whenever I have down time or breaks between classes, I usually just take a walk and get lost (voluntarily). It continuously blows my mind that you can turn a corner and be greeted by a monument that was built long before our time. I have been told that it takes a lifetime to fully understand Rome… I think that is the understatement of the year!

I have had the pleasure of seeing beautiful places inside of Italy as well as out. One of my favorites so far has been wine tasting in Tuscany with my IES program! My upcoming trips include Springfest in Munich, hiking in Cinque Terre, and visiting friends in Belgium and Ireland before I return home. Although I am very excited to start my internship at Abbott Labs this summer, I am not looking forward to the day that I hop on a plane for the last time.

Being abroad has taught me that transition and change is not easy, but it is totally worth it. Pushing yourself in a situation like this brings you to a new level of independence. I have learned a lot about this city and a lot about myself during my time here. Next time I walk past the Trevi Fountain I will toss in a coin and make a wish for my Wibbers!

Ciao ragazze, e buona Pasqua!

Maggie Morrissey takes on London

Cheers from London, Wibbers!

I miss you all so much! I'm currently deep into studying for my finals this week. It is so beautiful outside, so it is a drag being stuck inside studying! Luckily, London has a lot of green space and parks, so yesterday I laid in the grass and read "Hamlet" before my Shakespeare final.

I cannot believe my time abroad is almost over. Time flies by, doesn't it? I'm trying to enjoy every last second in this beautiful city before boarding my flight on Saturday. One of the greatest parts of the Study London program is that everyone on our program lives in the same dorm building, and there are tons of us here from IU. So, anytime I want to go explore the city and do something fun, I have lots of people who want to go with me! We are all trying to cross everything off our "London Bucket List" in these last few days.

Here are some things to add to your London Bucket List, if you are thinking of studying abroad here: walk through Regent's Park, eat the grilled cheese "toastie" at Borough Market, frolic around Picadilly Circus (during the day AND at night), channel your inner Hermione Granger at Platform 9 3/4 and the Harry Potter studio tour, paddle boat in Hyde Park, enjoy tea at Harrod's, stalk the royal family at Kensington Palace, have a drink at the top of the Shard, sing along at a concert at the O2 Academy Brixton, be artsy at the Tate Gallery of Modern Art, feel like you're in "What a Girl Wants" on the top of a double decker bus, take selfies in front of Big Ben, and dance the night away at Roxy on a Wednesday.

I'm going to miss it here, but I can't wait to see you all soon!

xx,

Maggs

Travels in Denmark: Katie Addison

Hello Wibbers all the way from København!  I hope all is going well in Bloomington!  I know you are all probably so excited that the warmer spring weather is finally here.

I have now been in Copenhagen, Denmark for a little over three months and I have to say, I absolutely love it. Never did I think I’d visit Denmark let alone call it home. The city is gorgeous, the classes are interesting, and the pastries are dangerously good. 

The classes here are all very fascinating.  Each professor has their own way of doing things and their own way of connecting the course material with the Danish culture.  I have learned so much about Denmark’s history, values, and current outlooks.  Two weeks ago I finished my midterms and was rewarded with a weeklong break for traveling.   During my time in Europe, I have been lucky enough to visit Croatia, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Berlin, Luxembourg, and still have some trips coming up.  All of these places have been absolutely spectacular, eye opening, and really old.   Every time I visit somewhere new, I am constantly shocked by the amount of history present.  I recently saw a fortress that was built in 963.  The fact that there was no number 1 before the 963 was hard to wrap my mind around.

Thankfully, the weather here has gradually been getting warmer, which means Tivoli and the gardens will soon be opening!  I have heard that Copenhagen in the spring is beautiful and unlike anything else.  Just in the recent days, when the sun has been out, I have seen more Danes out and about then in all of January, February, and March combined.  I swear the population has either instantly tripled, or the Danes are finally coming out of hibernation.  I have just about a month left, and I have a lot to see and do during that time.  Europe has been an amazing home to me.  I am not even close to being ready to leave!

I miss you all!

Katie

Kelly Shah: Ciao from Milan!

Ciao Wib! I am currently studying abroad in Milan, Italy, and loving it! Midterms are quickly approaching and I cannot believe my time here is almost half way over! It has finally stopped raining in Milan allowing me to explore the city without an umbrella, and I am taking full advantage!  Last night I went to the Navigli, a canal lined with restaurants and bars, and went to a karoke bar. Hearing Italian men sing “Barbie Girl” in Italian accents sure was an experience!  

I am also taking advantage of the diverse course selection. One of my classes is called Managing Fashion and Luxury Brands, for our field study we went to the flagship store of Armani and into La Rinascente, a glamorous department store! My favorite class is Transcultural Psychology; we study the difficulties in treating patients who are culturally diverse from the psychotherapist. It is one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken!

On the weekends I have managed to do a lot of travelling. My personal favorite was Istanbul! It was a beautiful city with so much energy. We shopped in the spice bazaar and the grand bazaar, both of which require strong bargaining skills! Another favorite was skiing in the alps at La Thuile. The view from the top of the mountain was above the cloud line and it looked as though someone had pulled down a backdrop! 

I hope all is well in Bloomington! I miss you all!

Ciao Ciao Ragazze!

Lindsey Ellington's trip to Hong Kong

Hello Wibbers! I’ve been abroad for 8 weeks now and have had so many eye-opening experiences, both in Hong Kong and in other places. For Chinese New Year I traveled to Thailand where I stayed on the islands of Koh Chang and Koh Samet, and spent two days in Bangkok. In Koh Chang I rode and swam with an elephant and had the dead skin nibbled off my feet by fish in Bangkok at a spa. It was a great 9 days but it was nice to head back to Hong Kong for a few weeks.

There is so much to see in Hong Kong. I’ve kept busy hiking, going to museums, studying, exploring Lamma Island and Macau, and eating lots of great food. Yesterday we went to an afternoon tea, which is a very popular Hong Kong custom that started during its time as a British colony. For two hours we feasted on a buffet of the most delicious and beautiful hors d’oeuvre and desserts. It was better than any tea party I could have imagined as a child.

While I make it a point to enjoy every possible moment abroad, this week I’m hard at work completing assignments in advance so that I can travel next week with Taylor Stinson to Taiwan and the Philippines. I hope everyone enjoys spring break!

Kate White: "Have It All"

Kate White, former Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan, shared four bold success tips at our Women in Business Annual Conference. White’s experience in the fashion, literature and magazine industries provide her with vast knowledge on how to succeed in an area.

Don’t believe everything you think. White referenced a pivotal moment in her life: when she was promoted to Editor-in-Chief of Cosmo. After a call from her boss on a Sunday, Kate immediately thought she was fired but instead, grasped the reigns of a multi-million dollar company. But she had to be willing to challenge herself to fill and exceed the position’s expectations. She advised us to take opportunities that will challenge us, especially roles others do not think we can strive in.

Go big or go home. While working at Cosmo, she constantly asked herself “Better, Bigger, Bolder, Badass”. Then if it could be any more of those qualities, they would push the limits. White started to push out the voice inside her head saying her best ideas were reckless and encouraged the same for us. To be successful don’t wait for permission and make them say wow not just good job.

Stop worrying what others think about you. Kate spoke on asking for what you want in the workplace, regardless of being turned down. Being forward with what you want and believe you deserve is imperative to being successful.

Drain the swamp. Paying attention to the big picture and not the little speed bumps is the ultimate perspective.

All four of these concepts created a moving, energetic and funny keynote speech. Women in Business appreciates Kate White’s passion while speaking at our conference!

Keystone

The Keystone Group representatives Linda Peddle, Danielle Moushon, and Gilli Mizrahi gave an inspiring presentation on what it means to “Have It All” in our morning portion of Conference.  The ladies focused on the fact that it is important to understand what “Have it All” means to you as an individual.  Linda informed WIB that your experiences shape you, which will, in turn, define your life.  Most of the presentation was centered on finding the right experiences in your life.  The three concepts our Keystone representatives focused on were: (1) More is More—start broad and work your way in, (2) Dig In, and (3) Culture, Culture, Culture.

The idea of “more is more” is based on purpose, people, and industry.  Danielle shared with us that we should “leverage our strengths rather than support our weaknesses.”  Knowing that in the business world you will work with many different people and personalities, it is crucial to learn from them and develop your own unique work style.  In this sense, it is all about challenging your passion.  Make sure to immerse yourself in the company and your life.  Finally, in order to “Have it All,” one must surround themselves with bright and passionate people.  Thank you to these awesome ladies for their great insight on how to “Have it All” and showing us how they have achieved that at Keystone!  We look forward to seeing you around campus again soon!

The Dow Chemical Company

We were all up early in our suits on Saturday, February 22^nd, excited for what our three wonderful speakers had prepared for us regarding our Conference’s theme “Have It All.”  Rebecca Jamrog, a fellow IU alum and Global Work Process Leader at The Dow Chemical Company, started off our morning on a very strong note.  She shared with us that one of the key secrets to having it all is taking advantage of opportunities that will differentiate you from your peers.  In addition, having it all starts with you and whether you truly want to have it all.  Without the motivation to have it all, you will never be able to be respected, balanced or determined enough to reach your full potential.  Rebecca also stressed how important it is to view yourself as a navigator who can take control, collaborate, and communicate effectively. 

One of our favorite takeaways from Rebecca’s talk was her idea of surrounding yourself with people who build you up.  She referred to this group as one’s personal board of directors.  This board of directors is also key in helping maintain a work-life balance.  Creating a balance allows you to free up your thinking to really evaluate what is important to you and what to focus your energy on.  It is important to also recognize that having it all is a process.  Rebecca shared with us some key aspects to having it all, but ultimately she said we decide whether or not we have it all.  We greatly appreciate all of Rebecca’s insight on what it takes to have it all.  Thank you so much for coming to speak to us, Rebecca! We cannot wait to see more of you and The Dow Chemical Company in the future.

Pre-Night Professor Carolyn Goerner

On Friday, February 21^st, we held our annual Conference pre-night at the Bloomington Convention Center.  For the first time, we kicked off our Conference with a speaker at our pre-night.  This year we had the pleasure of hearing from one of Kelley’s own, Professor Carolyn Goerner.  Professor Goerner provided each attendee with ten powerful quotes that she touched on throughout her speech.  For example, she used the quote: “Do all you can, with what you have, in the time you have, in the place you are.  Do all you can.”  In this quote, Nkosi Johnson (paraphrasing John Wesley) is stressing the importance of being in the moment.  Professor Goerner emphasized this by sharing a story about how her parents have bags in their car for homeless people.  The bags contain water, a protein bar, and directions to nearby homeless shelters.  This exemplifies doing all you can with what you can and will make an unfathomable difference in the lives of those who receive them.  Professor Goerner’s down-to-earth, open speech encouraged our members to share some of their own insight about each quote and what it means to them.  We cannot thank her enough for starting our Conference off on such a positive note and for being honest and open with us.  We look forward to seeing you around in Kelley—and if we are lucky hopefully in class as well!

Abbey in London!

Hey WIB family! I hope everything is going great in Bloomington. I had some major FOMO this past weekend—apparently I missed out on the best conference yet. Props to the conference committee!

To update you on my life, this week is midterm week so I’m busy writing a bunch of essays and trying to catch up on readings (yes, we actually go to class here). Taking five classes and interning two days a week is a lot more tiring than I expected, but somehow I always have energy to travel or explore London on the weekends. My internship is with a fashion-tech startup called Snap Fashion, a company with visual search-engine shopping apps. It’s been exciting working for a small startup because I've gotten to contribute a lot, and I couldn’t ask for nicer, more genuine coworkers. I’ve done some user-experience testing, blogging and social media work, along with other random tasks like database tidying. Last week I did street style interviews for London Fashion Week and *blogged* about attending a designer's fashion week presentation. Super exciting!

So far, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to Rome and Dublin—still looking forward to my Scotland and Prague trips. My favorite parts of London so far have been Brick Lane, which has amazing cheap market food and vintage shops, Lyceum Theater where I saw Lion King with my dad, and a boat tour I went on to Greenwich where we stood on the Prime Meridian (in two hemispheres at once). To read more about my personal adventures check out my study abroad **blog** where I post weekly about random topics. Miss you all!  x

Abbey

Allison Scott takes on Scotland!

Hey Wibbers! I hope you are all having a wonderful semester! I am having a blast in Scotland. It is so amazing to be immersed in a completely different culture and meet people from all over the world! So far I have only been to Ireland and different areas of Scotland but I have trips planned for Paris, Barcelona, London, Berlin, Vienna, and Prague. 

Scotland is such a beautiful country! While I live in the city, I have been lucky enough to get out to the beautiful hills and countryside a few times. There is absolutely nothing better than looking at a country side that goes on forever! My trip to Dublin was amazing! The city was beautiful and the people were so friendly! Every pub had live music, which was a real treat! Dublin definitely has a special place in my heart!

This is without a doubt that greatest thing I have done in my life and I can’t wait to see what adventures are ahead. That’s all for now! Miss you girls!

Taylor Stinson studies abroad in Hong Kong!

This past week marked my fourth week abroad and City University's Lunar New Year break. To celebrate the holiday, my family decided to meet me in Vientam for 9 days! It was an action-packed adventure as we traveled all over the country. We began in Ha Long Bay on a "junk," otherwise known as a boat typically found in Asia. We spent one night sailing through the beautiful bay. Next, we headed for Hanoi, a busy city in northern Vietnam. We wandered the city filled with french-inspired architecture before boarding our over-night train car to Sapa. This area of Vietnam features many villages of tribal people. We hiked and biked through the gorgeous hills and rice paddies, which can be seen in the picture. We then traveled back to Hanoi for additional site seeing, including a ricksha ride around the city and a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show. On the sixth day, we flew to Da Nang, a more touristy area located along the coastline. My family and I had some custom suits made (always gotta be on that WIB professionalism grind) and biked around the area learning how to make traditional Vietnamese dishes. This trip was unlike any other - we directly interacted with the people of each area, learning their respective cultures, and we saw so much of the country in such a short amount of time. I am so lucky to have been able to go on my first adventure with my family. Now it's back to school in Hong Kong, but I am sure I will be headed off on a second adventure soon with my new friends!

 

To read more about Taylor's

adventures over in Hong Kong 

go check out her blog,

taystins.wordpress.com.

Alli Eschbach's Message from Florence!

Ciao from Firenze, Italia! 

After four weeks abroad, I'm finally getting comfortable navigating Florence, planning trips, and traveling Europe. Last week I traveled to Interlaken, Switzerland and skied the Swiss Alps! This weekend, I took a train 2.5 hours south to the medieval town of Assisi and visited churches nearly 1000 years old! In the next month, I will be traveling to Prague, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, London, Dublin, Venice, Rome, and Croatia!

So far in Florence, I've seen Michelangelo's David and explored a lot of museums, played soccer against Italians, attended mass in the famous Florence Cathedral, and of course, eaten lots and lots of delicious Italian food! Taking a break from business classes this semester, I am enrolled in Art History, Beginners Italian, Oil Painting, Drawing, and an anthropology class revolved around Florence!

Katie Rubak's Adventures in London

With so many of our lovely WIB girls abroad, we would like to keep you all updated on their exciting adventures! Every Tuesday we will be highlighting a new girl in our blog and other social media outlets.  Stay tuned for more!

 

Cheers from London! I'm here taking on London with classes, participating in a internship with Astrid and Miyu (www.astridandmiyu.com), and traveling to as many places as my calendar allows. Many good friends are also spending this semester abroad, so I hope to spend time exploring with them across Europe. It's been about three weeks and I've settled in very nicely. I absolutely love this place.

This is still a bit surreal, but the more familiar I get, the more happy I become. I love this place. I’ve finished unpacking, figured out how to get the shower temp down from scalding-skin-off-hot (!!!), and already have an Oyster card with my picture on it. The city is so busy, the cars drive so fast and so close to each other, I thought I was going to die in the cab on the way to my building. Not to mention, the number one caution our advisors have for us is to be careful crossing the street. Forget pick-pocketers and muggers and dippers and draggers, the real danger is the lightning-speed traffic.

My room is really not as small as everyone warned; it is cozy, but the beds are comfy and there’s just enough space for everything I have.

The people! Strangers here are more friendly than some acquaintances I have back home. Our group of 100 students does draw attention, so its no wonder why locals ask where we’re from or strike up a conversation. Everyone wants to share the name of their favorite pub, or help give directions. I haven’t met a person with ulterior motives, the Brits are just indescribably kind.

My roommate Claire and I have made it our goal to take walking tours of different areas anytime we have a break, and thanks to her “50 Walking Tours of London” card set, we have a lot to get through. Today’s tour was the Knightsbridge area of London, and after spending lunch and the afternoon browsing through Harrod’s, we made our way through the Embassy square and Harvey Nichol’s. (The evening was not finished until we stopped for red velvet cupcakes and cappuccinos. If only every day was this glamorous)

This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit Rome with fellow Wibber Abbey Ostmeyer and a few other friends, and it was not only the most tiring weekend I've had yet, but also the most beautiful. Every alley isn't really an alley, its a cobblestone side street filled with restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. I can imagine one spending months here just walking around. We woke up at dawn (not kidding) every day in order to see everything Rome had to offer, and we even made it to the Vatican for the Sistine Chapel and the crowd for Sunday Mass. Unfortunately, my three semesters of Italian at IU failed me, as I only remembered a few phrases and random, unhelpful words (I knew what cow was the entire time, why cow?) I'm very happy to be back in London, though, and as we were getting ready to head to the airport on Sunday evening, I found myself calling London 'home.'

Again, I promise I am taking classes (which are each two and a half hours once a week, yikes), and I've begun my internship with Astrid and Miyu as well! This company is very, very cool. I've been put in charge of some of the marketing efforts such as twitter, pinterest, and contacting local bloggers who can promote us. I'm very happy to be falling into a routine; I feel more like a resident and less like a tourist (although I foolishly keep thinking I won't need my umbrella some days only to find that it will rain, again).

It's so hard to put three and a half weeks into just one blog post, as I feel like I've been here for months already. I'll continue to post as the semester goes on, and if you want to read some more about trips I've done or other places I've been, head over to rubesabroad.wordpress.com!

Cheers! xx

Rubes

Smith Family BReaK Thru Fund

For many members, being a part of Women in Business becomes much more than a professional organization to future our individual careers.  It amounts to a full support system for facing obstacles in and outside of Kelley together. This past year we came together to support Chandlar Smith, an active leader for the organization, and her family by promoting the Smith family BReaK Thru fund. Chandlar’s siblings were born with Niemann-Pick type C disease, a fatal disease with no current treatment, and the BReaK Thru fund supports research for a cure.

Our members actively participate in the Infiniti’s Coaches’ Charity Challenge to support the fund. This challenge consists of the NCAA College Basketball head coaches choosing a charity of their choice and the coaches with the most votes continue on through the competition. Matt Painter, Purdue Basketball head coach, chose the Smith Family BReaK Thru fund and is currently still in the race for grand prize of $100,000 for research.  We put our dedicated Hoosier pride aside and supporting Chandlar’s family took precedent over any rivalry.

We aim to continue spreading support and awareness for this fund outside of our active members. By clicking this link to vote for Matt Painter: Support the Smith Family BReaK Thru Fund, we are one step closer to changing lives! 

WIB dances at IUDM 2013



From left to right:
Bottom row: Ashley Holmes, Rachael Pearson, Katharine Finn, Taylor Exline
Top Row: Ellie Boyer, Jamie Rothbart, Courtney Holcomb, Elizabeth Settle

Since 1991 the Indiana University Dance Marathon has worked hard to raise money for the Riley Hospital for Children in honor of Ryan White and Ashley Crouse. On November 15 over 2,500 dancers came together to dance for the second largest philanthropic organization in the country. This year eight members of Women in Business formed our very own WIB team and raised nearly $4,000. Throughout the night other members of WIB dropped off goody bags and an assortment of treats to help the girls get through the countless hours of dancing and standing. In the end IUDM raised over $2.6 million for the kids! This was almost $500,000 more than last year, making the dance marathon an incredible success once again. FTK!

WIB Conference 2013: Tatiana Kolovou

Tatiana Kolovou is always welcome at Women in Business' annual Conference. Many WIB members have had Tatiana as a professor or have heard her speak at other events, so every year we look forward to hearing her passion and advice. At Conference 2013, her thoughts on feedback -- how to give it and how to receive it -- failed to disappoint. I found her recommendations on how to ask for advice most useful in my own life. Generally, and perhaps luckily, people won’t confront others with criticism unless directly asked. So, instead of asking, “How did I do?” after a presentation, one should ask “What did you think of my transition between the second and third points? How could those two ideas flow better?” By offering context to the feedback-giver, he or she can return specific, applicable, and constructive criticism. Moreover, Taitana’s interactive presentation allowed us to apply our own feedback skills in a controlled environment so we will know how to integrate feedback conversation in the future. Women in Business would like to thank Tatiana for offering us more applicable advice and we hope to see her back again next year!

WIB Conference 2013: Andrea Dowding

Andrea Dowding from Thirty-One Gifts began Conference 2013 inspirationally. Her advice on leading inTENtionally inspired my own state of mind throughout the rest of the day. Moreover, Mrs. Dowding reminded us all of some humbling truths that will help us excel as we begin our careers: Women interact differently than men, not better or worse, just differently. They rely on stories, compassion, and connection to inspire themselves to excel. Mrs. Dowding emphasized that the only way to succeed is by recognizing how to thrive. Her ways to live inTENtionally include:

1. Know what you’ve got

2. Decide how you’re showing up

3. Walk with intention

4. Be curious

5. Be courageous

6. Share your stories

7. Find a sponsor/Be a sponsor

8. Redefine power

9. Build your community

10. Promote parity in our collective community

Above all else, Mrs. Dowding emphasized how important being yourself is. Although the phrase is used frequently, Mrs. Dowding’s thoughts on leading inTENtionally refreshed its meaning. Knowing who you are, where you're going, and how you will act along the way makes all the difference. Women in Business would like to thank Mrs. Dowding and Thirty-One Gifts for their participation in WIB Conference 2013!

Words from the Wise

As a junior with a Chicago summer internship and the next three semesters of classes set in stone to graduate with two majors, I entered Monday’s “Words from the Wise” panel event with reluctance that I would learn anything I hadn’t already encountered in my time at Kelley.  Internships, I-Core, class schedules, majors, networking – I had been through it all.  However, I was quickly humbled and reminded that one can always be moved if she takes the time to listen.

A special thanks to panel members Taylor Smith, Taylor Exline, Taylor Stinson, Kristina Weber, and Katie Rubak for their memorable words and encouraging stories.  Some of the most impacting advice given at the Professional Development event included: Push yourself.  Go beyond a single major and step out of comfort zones.  Take advantage of the Bloomington community – explore the sites, engage in community service, watch a theatrical performance.  “Confidence speaks volumes,” Stinson preached.  “And most importantly, follow your heart.”