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When Molly Beeley and Sophia Ouellette switched their majors to business administration at the �鶹��ý during their sophomore year, they were surprised to find no business-focused clubs on campus. 

But being the driven young women they are, the duo sought to create a supportive community for other women pursuing careers in business and co-founded the Women in Business Club in January. What started as a casual gathering of 10 students has since grown to 30 members, and the club is continuing to gain interest from the College of Business’s female student population.

Their journey coincides with the establishment of UNE’s College of Business in 2023, which welcomed its inaugural class this fall. Designed to be Maine and New England’s innovation business school, the college engages students in enriching experiences that prepare them for leadership positions in Maine and the nation’s top organizations. Graduates have gone on to work in top positions in some of the nation’s most prominent sports organizations; in Maine, they are driving sustainability in the state’s growing hospitality and outdoor recreation industries. 

Erin Ladd, director of delivery at BrettonTrova, leads a LinkedIn workshop during a meeting of UNE’s Women in Business Club, co-founded by Sophia Ouellette (top left, center) and Molly Beeley (top right, left).

Beeley’s and Ouellette’s passion for empowering women in business is evident in their leadership. 

“We wanted to create a space where women could connect, support each other, and learn about the business world,” said Ouellette, the club’s president. “In our business classes, we often found ourselves among only a handful of women, and we saw this club as a way to build a stronger community.”

The club has hosted workshops on resume building and LinkedIn optimization, featuring guest speakers like Erin Ladd, director of delivery at the medical recruitment firm BrettonTrova. 

According to Beeley, the club’s vice president, these events have attracted not only business majors but also students from other disciplines, such as public health and medical biology, who are interested in areas like medical device sales. 

“We’re reaching beyond business students because business skills are universal,” Beeley said.

Looking ahead, the club’s founders aim to leave a legacy that endures long after their graduation. As they prepare to graduate in May, Beeley and Ouellette are mentoring first- and second-year students to take over leadership roles and have ambitious plans for future events, including panel discussions with CEOs and workshops tailored to networking and career preparation.

“We want to look back in 10 years and see this club thriving, with 100 members attending conferences and making an impact,” said Ouellette. “We’re building a brand, and we’re using the skills we’ve learned at �鶹��ýto make it sustainable.”