Design Your Career 2024
Reflecting on the Success of Design Your Career 2024: Empowering Students for High-Potential Careers
The recent Design Your Career (DYC) event, held on May 16, 2024, was an inspiring and transformative experience for students across the country. Focused on expanding access to high-potential careers for students from underrepresented backgrounds and non-target schools, DYC delivered on its promise to inspire, inform, and prepare participants for their professional journeys.
A Stellar Lineup of Speakers and Activities
The event kicked off with an engaging introduction to Access Distributed (AD) and its leadership, setting the tone for an evening filled with insightful sessions and interactive activities. The warm-up exercise on Strengths & Values encouraged students to reflect on their unique qualities and aspirations, providing a solid foundation for the rest of the event.
Kristen Kelly and Jen Saarbach, co-founders of The Wall Street Skinny, captivated the audience with their keynote address. They shared their journeys in finance, offering practical advice and answering questions from students. During the keynote, Kristen and Jen emphasized the importance of recognizing that connections are all around you, that opportunities often present themselves in unexpected ways, and the value of leading your life with integrity by finding and pursuing your true passion, even if it’s not the most traditionally prestigious path.
The Career Panel, featuring experts from investment banking (IB), private equity (PE), and consulting, provided a comprehensive overview of these fields. Panelists demystified the day-to-day responsibilities, career trajectories, and skills needed to succeed, helping students make informed decisions about their future careers.
Danae Sterental, a Partner at Westbound and a renowned educator and executive coach, concluded the program by guiding students through a visualization exercise to help them dream of what their futures could look like, followed by creating a mantra to live by. This session was the best way to end the event: after hearing speakers and getting inspired to set ambitious goals, students mapped out their own future using the wisdom, advice, and learnings from the program.
This year we had the keynote presented by the fabulous Co-Founders of the Wall Street Skinny, Kristen Kelly and Jen Saarbach!
Feedback from Attendees
The feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants rated the event 9.3/10 on average when asked how likely they were to recommend DYC to a friend, and 4.7/5 felt more prepared to pursue a career in finance after attending. One student shared, "This event was extremely inspirational for me. I have a bit of imposter syndrome and think that the people who land these kinds of jobs [in finance and consulting] could never be me. This event showed me that it can, I will just have to work for it. It has inspired me to try my luck at this, even if I don't have the resources or connections…"
Another attendee highlighted the impact of the keynote speakers, saying, "My favorite part about DYC was hearing from the founders of Wall Street Skinny, as I watched their TikToks all the time to encourage myself to pursue my dreams in finance. Watching them speak live, in front of me was incredible, and I saw the knowledge, confidence, and gracefulness by which they spoke. They truly are so inspiring and made me even more determined to chase my dreams."
One of the most talked-about segments was the Design Your Career Activity led by Danae. A student shared, "I appreciated all the guest speakers and their insights, but most importantly the last speaker when guiding us through the visualization activity. I like to believe I am doing everything now today to set the foundation for my future self. This was a great activity to start thinking in that way."
Looking Ahead
Design Your Career 2024 was a tremendous success, empowering students to see that no matter where they come from, they belong in and can succeed in high-potential careers. By providing valuable resources, networking opportunities, and concrete tips from industry professionals, DYC has equipped participants with the tools they need to navigate their career paths confidently.
We are already looking forward to next year's event, aiming to build on this year's achievements and continue expanding access to high-potential careers for students from all backgrounds. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities from Access Distributed!
Join the Conversation
Were you at DYC 2024? Share your experience and tag us on social media using #DesignYourCareer. Let's keep the momentum going and support each other on our career journeys!
Thank you to all the speakers, panelists, and participants who made Design Your Career 2024 an unforgettable event. We can't wait to see what the future holds for all of you!
