Supporting women at different phases of their careers is the mission of the Forté Foundation, and the nonprofit’s ambassadors at Bryant say that connecting young women with each other for mutual support is a big component of that work in a business world where women often lack a version of the “old boys network” to call their own.

Bryant became a member school of the Forté Foundation in 2024; both undergraduates and graduate students are welcome to tap resources such as webinars, in-person conferences, networking, online certificate programs, and on-campus meetings.

“They’re getting to know other women who have like-minded goals,” says Mara Derderian, a senior lecturer in the Finance department and director of the Women in Finance Leadership Initiative. 

Moreover, women already in the workplace who took part in Forté as students are “really eager to get to know our students” and offer their support, as well, she says.

“There's definitely brand recognition,” says Derderian, who helps facilitate Forté Foundation activities at Bryant. “It's a feather in your cap to be part of Forté.”

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Mariah Alves ’26, Olivia Pace ’26, ’27MBA, and Monica Garbacz ’26, ’27MBA are the inaugural Forté Ambassadors at Bryant. While Pace and Garbacz were already acquainted as classmates, it was Forté that forged their connection with Alves.

Alves says “doing something to bring women together on campus was extremely intriguing to me,” noting that women remain a minority in business schools.

Unlike other affinity groups for Bryant women, Forté doesn’t focus on any particular course of study. 

“When we host events, we get to talk to a range of people,” says Alves, a Human Resource Management major. “We have conversations about being women in spaces that have not been traditionally for us. We uplift women and help them realize we're just as important, we have just as loud of a voice as any man in a room, and it's okay to be the only woman in the room because you know you're powerful just by being there.”

"We uplift women and help them realize we're just as important, we have just as loud of a voice as any man in a room, and it's okay to be the only woman in the room because you know you're powerful just by being there.”

In its first year, Bryant’s Forté chapter sponsored a presentation by an esthetician and makeup artist on maintaining a professional appearance, and a pickleball outing to give women another skill set that they can use for networking. “We’re also collaborating with our corporate partner, Fidelity Investments, to expand our Forte programming,” says Derderian.

Pace, an Accounting major, says she has literally “played the game” — in her case, golf — to network with male colleagues. 

“I’ve used that experience in a male-dominated area to stand out amongst my male peers, so my goal is to share that experience with other women,” she says. 

She also has availed herself of the full range of benefits that Forté offers. 

“I've completed the career-ready certifications, and the foundation has tons of conferences and trips available,” she says, adding that, “Networking is an important part because you make so many different connections and you never know who you're going to meet that you're going to need in your future.”

Like Pace, Garbacz is an Accounting major and enrolled in Bryant’s 3+1 Accelerated Fourth Year MBA program, a track that offers the opportunity to earn both an undergraduate and master’s degree in just four years. She says Forté’s tools for jobseekers, such as an online portal where resumes are shared among members, are especially valuable for students in accelerated programs like 3+1. 

“We can look into what we need to start doing even in our first year, because by the fall of sophomore year we’re already applying for internships,” she says.

Garbacz says she’s “honored to be the point of contact in helping women on campus get their name out there and start networking and making their own brand.”

Nodding to Alves and Pace, she adds, “It’s been a great experience planning events with these two women. We’ve learned so much networking with women professionals and bringing something different and new to campus.”