Name: Sasha Dubson
Year: Junior
Major: Marketing + Information Systems
Campus Involvement: Lindner Women in Business, Kolodzik Business Scholars Association, Kappa Kappa Gamma
Fun Fact: Last year, I was in Cincinnati Bell Super Bowl Commercial!
Her Campus University of Cincinnati: Hi Sasha! Thanks for taking time to talk with me today. I would love to learn more about your experiences as CEO of Lindner Women in Business. But first things first, what exactly is Lindner Women in Business?
Sasha Dubson: Hey there! I am very excited to share with you my experience with LWIB. Lindner Women in Business is a student organization that is open to all UC students. It was created to increase female admission to the Lindner College of Business. As of now, it’s a resource for women, to give them everything needed to be successful and confident. We organize weekly meetings that can consist of networking events, company visits, speakers, service opportunities and personal development. We also host an Annual Leadership Conference called Empowerment Day and this year it happened on March 3. We also work our hardest to help Lindner recruit high school students to our amazing college and spark their interest in a career in business.
HCUC: How long have you been a part of LWIB and how did you first hear about it?
SD: I joined LWIB right at the beginning of my Freshman year. I actually heard about LWIB in a very funny way. Around late June, before starting my Freshman year at UC, I got a phone call from some LWIB representatives inviting me to brunch. I couldn’t make it due to a family vacation, because of that for some reason, I thought that LWIB membership was mandatory for me. I was absolutely sure that if I don’t show up to LWIB meetings, I will be kicked out of Lindner [laughing]. So, I attended the first meeting and absolutely loved it. The past 2.5 years with LWIB has been extremely rewarding and impactful on me personally and professionally.
HCUC: Did you always know you wanted a leadership position in this organization? Did you have any leadership positions before your role as CEO in LWIB or in any other campus organizations?
SD: As any other student, I always thought it would be cool to be a president of a student organization one day. However, I never thought I could truly accomplish that goal. I was able to get on the Executive Board of LWIB Spring semester of my Freshman year as a Membership Chair. Later on, I applied for the board the following year and got a position of Director of Corporate Relation. Just two weeks before school started, our Chief Outreach Officer accepted a co-op in Atlanta, so I had to take over the role and manage two roles. During that time, I learned a lot about LWIB inside and out. I also worked very closely with the former CEO Priya Mullen and in a way assisted her as much as I could.
Besides LWIB, I have been serving as Treasurer of my pledge class in my sorority as well as Director of Corporate Relations for Kolodzik Business Scholars Association.
HCUC: What are your duties as CEO of LWIB? How much of your time does it take up?
SD: My duties involved in two major parts: managing the organization day to day and constantly looking for opportunities for growth. With that, I work very closely with the Executive Board on a daily basis to make sure our short-term and long-term goals are met. We discuss potential opportunities and make sure that we are functional. I also work very closely with the College of Business to discuss growth opportunities for LWIB and how our organization can benefit the college.
HCUC: Do you have any time management techniques you use to keep yourself organized and on track?
SD: Yes! I love my Google Calendar. I use it to manage my “physical” schedule: classes, meetings, interviews. I color code different sections. I also use an actual planner to write down tasks and homework. I believe it’s extremely important to learn how to time manage especially in college.
HCUC: A common ideology I hear from adults and other college students is that to have a successful career in business, it is all about networking. The whole “it’s not about what you know, but who you know” type of mentality. With your experience so far in the business school, internships, and leadership positions, would you say that is true?
SD: As much as I believe that academics are extremely important, I would absolutely agree with that. So far, 2 out of 4 of my internships came up to me through networking. Even if you find a position online, it’s very important to find internal connections in the company and try to get an employee referral. Many companies – especially Fortune 500 companies – don’t recruit until there is a connection. Aside from job placement, I try to reach out to professionals in my field on weekly basis to learn about their experience and simply learn from them. LinkedIn is an incredible tool for that. I highly suggest to go outside of your comfort zone and attend networking events, conferences and simply reach out to people online.
HCUC: What is your favorite aspect of being the CEO of LWIB? What do you love about the student organization the most?
SD: I absolutely love being able to come up with an idea and have a group of incredible women who would support you and help make it happen. During my time as CEO, as a board, we were able to achieve some incredible results and start new programs. I enjoy being able to serve as a resource to the board and help them out as much as I can. Also, I love learning how to motivate people. I learned that micromanaging doesn’t work too great. It’s important to learn what motivates each individual person and give freedom to members to try things out and even make mistakes. I absolutely loved seeing our members grow throughout the years and see how much this organization impacts them. I love LWIB because it truly gives you exactly how much you put into it. The opportunities are endless.
HCUC: I have heard you have had several internships in marketing departments over the last few years. What was your typical day like? Was it what you imagined it would be?
SD: I have been very lucky to have opportunities to intern at different types of companies. I have had a chance to work for a start-up, for a medium-sized company and a large global corporation. Each of them is different. I believe that internships are truly what you make out of them. If you just sit at your desk and expect to be babysat, it won’t take you too long to get bored. However, it’s very important to build connections and seek for work. Because more work you do, more experience you gain. For example, at a start-up, every day is truly different. At a large corporation, days can be similar depending on your current project. I enjoyed both, however, I found myself liking working for a corporate environment more. It’s really important to try various companies to learn what you enjoy the most.
HCUC: Finally, do you have any tips for women who might be nervous about their interview for either an internship or possible career?
SD: Girl, nothing to be nervous about! However, in order to gain confidence, you need to do your research and be prepared. Read not only general information about the company, but creep on your interviewer on LinkedIn. Try to find common interests or connections. Maybe they are from your hometown, maybe they enjoy traveling as well. Being able to connect with an interviewer on a personal level is very important. Also, understand why are you interested in this specific position, is it industry? Is it department? More you know, more confident you are going to feel. Finally, practice your typical behavioral questions such as,“Tell me about yourself, strengths, weaknesses.” Have them memorized in your head and be able to apply them in real-world situations.
Overall, be sure you have someone to support you through the process, having a supportive friend is always a plus.
If you want to check out more of Sasha and her Hong Kong adventures while she studies business abroad, check out her social media below!
Twitter: dubsonsasha