Women at Pitt are carving out their own space in finance, from the classroom to conversations about financial independence.
Female finance students and faculty say the business school promotes inclusivity and financial education, but they encounter some gender-based barriers within the community.
According to Christopher Meaner, director of the Tafel Center for Student Success in Sennott Square, Pitt students studying finance are 67% male and 33% female.
April Faber, a senior finance and innovation and entrepreneurship major, said she fluctuates between confidence and self-doubt while studying finance.
“When I first started studying finance, I remember being one of only a handful of women in some of my classes and clubs,” Faber said. “It was intimidating. It felt like everyone else already spoke the language of markets, investments and corporate strategy way more fluently than I did.”
Now, as a senior, Faber said she has found her place within the business school through common feelings of doubt.
“But over time, I realized that everyone starts out feeling lost,” Faber said. “What makes the difference is grit, curiosity and finding people who encourage you to own your space in those rooms.”
Faber said she found her place in the business school by becoming a peer financial educator within the Financial Wellness Center, where she educates students on budgeting, credit, and other financial decisions.
“It’s been so rewarding to help spread financial literacy around campus and see other students start to feel more confident about managing their own finances now and in the future,” Faber said.
Ruby Beckwith, a junior finance major, said navigating a career in finance as a woman can be challenging, especially when trying to determine career paths or finding a community.
“Being a woman in finance is definitely difficult, especially when deciding what career path to go down early in college,” Beckwith said. “Most of the finance clubs are male dominated so it can be very hard to stick with those clubs and really feel a sense of belonging no matter how interested you could be.”
Despite an observed imbalance in student organizations, Faber said the community of women interested in finance is continuing to grow and inspire her.
“At Pitt, there’s a growing community of women who are passionate about finance, and that’s made a huge difference for me. Representation really does matter, especially in a field where women are still underrepresented,” Faber said.
Sara Moeller, senior associate dean for teaching and learning, said Pitt focuses on the inclusivity of students by focusing on their learning style, not their gender.
“[Teaching is] about meeting people where they are. A big chunk of that — if you’re in the classroom — is about where they are from a learning perspective,” Moeller said.
Moeller emphasized the difference between studying financial concepts as a major and understanding financial literacy.
“Financial literacy is just the understanding of why [money] is important — unless you were born rich, it’s independence. It is the ability to rely upon yourself, to take care of yourself and the people you love,” Moeller said.
Beckwith, also a peer financial educator at the financial wellness center, said she believes financial literacy is the most valuable skill a student can possess.
“It’s something they don’t teach you in classes — especially business classes — so being able to coach people how to build something simple like a budget or reach saving goals is great and really makes a significant difference in students’ lives,” Beckwith said.
According to Faber’s experience as an educator, finance is often misunderstood as being solely about investing or stocks or landing a job in the corporate world, but it can also be about simply understanding one’s financial options.
“Sometimes people assume finance is just about getting to Wall Street or investing, but at its core it’s about understanding how to make informed choices, which is something every student needs,” Faber said.
Faber said she feels personal finance should be something everyone can and should understand.
“Finance shouldn’t feel exclusive or intimidating. It’s something that everyone, regardless of major or background, needs to understand,” Faber said. “If we can leave Pitt with the tools to manage our money and the confidence to talk about it openly, that’s real success.”