Student-led clubs in the College of Business offer students the opportunity to expand their skillset, build strong networks and increase engagement in extracurricular activities. The Women in Business Association (WIBA) was created in 2016 to provide female business students the chance to engage and collaborate while receiving the support and resources necessary to succeed and grow professionally.

“The Women in Business Association is such an important organization within the College of Business,” said Hannah Mismas, a junior double majoring in marketing and graphic design. “Not only does it have events and opportunities for people to network, but the community of women that show up for each other every day is so impactful.”

The club has provided just that and more for Mismas and Alice Larm, a management and innovation student: The two met when they attended a WIBA meeting their freshman year. What started as a similar interest for women in business eventually blossomed into a solid friendship, paving the way for them to develop a passion for competing in case competitions.

Creating opportunities

Now in their third year, they’ve grown and advanced from club members to more instrumental roles. Larm serves as the president and Mismas the social media lead. Part of their responsibilities include hosting influential guest speakers, engaging in philanthropy events and encouraging student participation.

When students aren’t attending club meetings, Larm and Mismas work to encourage member involvement in various extracurricular activities, like case competitions. “When they come in freshman year, we try and get them as engaged as possible in case competitions because it’s such a great experience,” Larm said. “You’re learning as you go and continuing to gain experience.”

The Deloitte Women in Business Case Competition

Individually, the women had their first exposure to case competitions when they competed in the Deloitte Women in Business Case Competition. Held each fall, it aims to increase the number of female students participating in case competitions by centering cases on complex issues impacting women in business while also raising awareness of these challenges.

While the two didn’t participate on the same team, they got a taste of what it’s like to compete. “It’s a steep learning curve when you first do a case competition because it’s everything all at once, and you have to figure out what’s the best way to solve the problem and not only solve it but present it in a way that will be understood,” Larm said.

Mismas and her partner nabbed the first-place prize of $5,000.

The contest isn’t exclusively for WIBA members, but WIBA staff advisor Andrea Karapas strongly encourages its members to participate. “Andrea is one of the biggest advocates for our success, no matter what that means,” Larm said. “Whether that’s helping us learn and grow on the officer team or getting people engaged in the Deloitte Women in Business Case Competition, she’s focused on student success in all aspects of her job as both the WIBA advisor and director of the Career Management Center.”

Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion

In the spring, Mismas and Larm decided to take what they learned from the Women in Business Case Competition and tackle a new challenge: the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Case Competition.

Mismas and Larm had not previously participated in the JEDI case competition; however, they already knew two WIBA members, Isha Agarwal and Taylor Brainard, who’d competed and won the year before. They decided to join forces and put together a team. Several weeks of planning and hard work eventually paid off. The team won first place, taking home the $15,000 cash prize.

“It was great to work with this team in a different setting other than just WIBA, but I don’t think our team would have been as successful had we not forged those connections within the Women in Business Association first,” Mismas said.

They weren’t the only WIBA members to succeed that day. Another club-affiliated team placed second. “It was really awesome to see that even though we have different concentrations, experiences, teams and ways of looking at the solution, we all were able to participate and gain valuable experiences, which was really cool,” Larm said.

While winning was noteworthy, the two remark that it was the learning experience that was most impactful. Case competitions allow students to bridge the gap between what they are learning in class with real-world industry experience.

Succeeding beyond competitions

Those competitions have also lent themselves to bolstering the women’s resumes. Mismas and Larm are only juniors but have already found success outside the classroom. Last spring, Larm interviewed with Woodward for an HR internship she now holds.

“Around the same time I was doing the JEDI case competition, I was interviewing for this position,” Larm said. “I was able to touch on the topic, and I think that’s something that really helped me get the role because they were looking for someone to do diversity and inclusion, and I had the experience and passion for it.”

Her experience paid off, and she landed the position. Since starting, she’s developed a comprehensive DEI strategy and has started initiatives such as an executive inclusion council. She also stays actively engaged with senior leadership. While Larm is still figuring out what career path she wants to pursue, she knows DEI will be a crucial part of it. 

Similarly, Mismas hopes to work with inclusion efforts. “The biggest thing that I know I want to do in my future with marketing is something that’s greater than myself,” Mismas said. “Whether that’s working for women’s issues or a nonprofit or just working for a company whose values and missions align with mine, I want my pursuits to create impact for communities that are underrepresented.”