If you’re a female student in the LeBow College of Business, there’s one organization you need to be a part of, Drexel’s Women in Business. We sat down with DWIB president Manisha Gamble to learn more about her story, the organization, and what she hopes all members walk away knowing.
Manisha is a pre-junior marketing major from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, taking on her first year of presidency with the experience and passion required to make a club popular on campus. Her involvement with DWIB began her freshman year since she knew how important extra-curricular activities were in a college career. She excitedly searched for relatable organizations to join during her first term and came across Drexel Women in Business. As the name suggests, it was a perfect fit for a female member of the student body whose major is in the business school. After attending meetings throughout the year, she applied to take on a larger role for her sophomore year and became the Social Media Chair. “It allowed me to become much more involved with the ‘behind the scenes’ aspect of the organization,” Manisha said. She really enjoyed her time on the board and the opportunity to learn the ins-and-outs of what it takes to run a club on campus so once she heard that the President position was opening up the following year, she jumped at the chance.
After becoming President, Manisha knew this position would allow her to host events for DWIB members that would inspire them to not be afraid of leadership positions, which is one of the main focuses of the club itself. She also manages and assists her executive board of six other women whose responsibilities range from event planning, marketing, and fundraising. Also working as the face of the organization, she collaborates with other leaders around the campus and community to organize events for women in various areas of business.
The goals of DWIB are to help their members (undergrad and grad) make connections and form relationships with others, to educate students more about challenges women face in the business world and how to overcome them, along with the skills required to become a strong leader in general. The monthly meetings hosted for students are a great example of this effort, since the conversations and topics always focus on issues businesswomen face in the professional world.
While encouraging other women to be leaders and to speak their minds is a rewarding experience, Manisha says the hardest part of her position is knowing she plays a key role in whether the organization succeeds or fails. With it being such a huge time commitment managing all parts of the club, knowing that members are satisfied with their involvement in the organization is what helps her stay positive and put forth her best effort.
The most rewarding part of her position is the opportunity to be a role model to Drexel students during their time on campus and the trust they place in her to assist with their professional development. “I’m so thankful to be part of an organization that is helping the next generation of women become leaders,” Manisha said. ‘New generation’ is a very accurate description of the organization’s purpose, since many members are freshman and are looking to the organization to provide resources that can help them feel confident when they go out on their first co-op interview.
Despite the occasional stress and large time commitments, Manisha knows that DWIB has positively affected her time at Drexel since it’s enabled her to make stronger connections on campus and in the community. She also has confidence in herself that she can be a great leader, something that will constantly benefit her throughout her professional career. Since she knows that a leadership position is within her capabilities, she looks forward to leadership opportunities arising in the real world so she can take full advantage of the situation and show her colleagues exactly what she can do.
Like every great leader knows, breaks and downtime are necessary. Manisha likes to have fun and relax, and if the weather is nice she can be found walking around and exploring some of the great restaurants offered in Center City. However, like most of us, she sticks to Netflix during the winter months since the weather outside is beyond miserable.
Whether she’s organizing fundraisers with local eateries or encouraging DWIB members to take on leadership positions, Manisha Gamble is turning DWIB into a valuable organization on campus. Reaching beyond Drexel and preparing her members for the real world, she has fostered an environment that offers intelligent conversation about real world problems, while maintaining a relaxed college atmosphere, a win-win for everyone.