Alumnae Spotlight: Grace Embrey '17

I enjoyed the analytical problem-solving skills I practiced in my math and physics classes at Hockaday, so following graduation, I studied Electrical Engineering at Villanova. I knew having a technical degree may give me an edge in whatever industry I decided to break into, but at the time, I was leaning towards a more traditional engineering entry-level role. Throughout college, I learned that discovering what you don't enjoy can very helpful in pushing you in the direction of what you may enjoy. For me, my internships taught me that I wanted to join a large company with a traditional class of analysts and formal training program. I met with Goldman campus recruiters and became interested in the business. After my final round of interviews, I was thrilled to accept an offer with an engineering team in the New York City office and returned full-time after my college graduation. Following two years in an engineering role, I transitioned to the Asset Management division to join the External Investing Group where I work currently as a data and performance associate.

               

I found Dr. Long's History of Art and Music Class incredibly interesting and insightful. Living in New York, I often visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and think about the lessons he taught about Impressionist and Renaissance art. I also loved my dance classes with Ms. Wortley and Physics with Dr. Taylor!

 

Learning and practicing strong personal finance habits in high school will set you up for success in college and adulthood. Part-time jobs like babysitting, coaching, or lifeguarding create an opportunity to practice skills like time-management, budgeting, and investing. You can start earning more interest on the money sitting in your checking or savings accounts by transferring your savings to a high yield savings account, and you can start investing your excess cash by opening a brokerage account. Robo-advised brokerage accounts are a great way to learn about different investment strategies and portfolio construction while limiting your risk exposure to single-name stocks. To start building credit, open your own credit card (you can always start small with just a few purchases a month). After you feel comfortable with the basics of personal finance, you'll be surprised how much you will understand about finance more broadly.

 

Financial literacy empowers women and girls to achieve financial independence and navigate major life milestones like enrolling in school, starting a business, buying a home, or planning for retirement.  In order to close the gender wealth gap, women and girls need the financial tools and knowledge to confidently negotiate salaries and recognize investment opportunities to achieve long term financial security. By fostering financial confidence from an early age, women can challenge systemic financial inequalities and create a more equitable financial landscape for future generations while providing a prosperous future for themselves.