{"id":65538,"date":"2025-02-11T09:12:18","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T14:12:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=65538"},"modified":"2025-03-12T12:13:58","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T16:13:58","slug":"empower-your-future-at-utc-points-high-schoolers-to-their-futures-in-finance-and-economics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/empower-your-future-at-utc-points-high-schoolers-to-their-futures-in-finance-and-economics\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Empower Your Future\u2019 at UTC points high schoolers to their futures in finance and economics\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Moderator

Moderator Claudia Kramer (left) and panelists Jazmynn Ball, Isabella Liza Ortiz, Michell Bosch and Jackie Morgan. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

Jazmynn Ball and Isabella Loza Ortiz got their starts in finance as undergraduate students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After achieving success in their field and securing finance positions at Unum, the two shared advice with more than 100 local high school students\u2014mostly young women\u2014in a panel at UTC as part of the <\/span>Empower Your Future forum.<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The event, hosted by the UTC Department of Finance and Economics in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business, was held on Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the Wolford Family Athletic Center.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The annual forum is designed to teach young women about career and degree opportunities in finance and economics.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe noticed in our classrooms that there\u2019s a huge gender imbalance in our discipline, so we felt like we had a role to play,\u201d said <\/span>UC Foundation Professor and First Tennessee Bank Distinguished Professor of Finance Bento Lobo\u2014the head of the finance and economics department at UTC.<\/span> \u201cOftentimes when you try to reach out to college kids, it\u2019s already late because they\u2019ve already made their choices. We decided that we were going to start talking to high schoolers\u2014girls in particular.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With professionals from Chattanooga and surrounding areas as presenters and panelists, high school students\u2014from as far away as Tellico Plains High School to as close as The Howard School\u2014had the chance to hear firsthand from women who were once in their shoes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Keynote speakers included Jackie Morgan, outreach senior advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Dr. Christi Wann, UC Foundation professor of finance at UTC, who presented \u201cWhy Study Finance?\u201d; and <\/span>Kim Holder, managing director of the Center for Economic Education, pres<\/span>enting \u201cWhy Study Economics?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Business students Kyla Leonberger (finance) and Breonna Gandhi (accounting) gave a presentation about the SMILE Fund\u2014a UTC undergraduate-led investment fund.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The panel discussion, titled \u201cWhy is it important for women to study Economics and Finance?\u201d included:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n