It was the year 2005, winter quarter, in the Business Communications 301 course at the UW Business School where two young women, Amber Waisanen and Raychael Jensen, first met.

 

Complete strangers, the two were assigned to the same group project. The team set out to conduct research on analyzing the premier Business Schools in the nation. Amber was browsing the University of Pennsylvania website and noticed that there was a Wharton Women in Business Club that took precedence as the most popular and recognized student organization on campus. After researching their own university’s student organizations, to their great surprise, the two realized that the University of Washington didn’t have an undergraduate women in business student organization already established.

 

After wrapping up their project, Amber and Raychael discovered they shared a passion for serving their community and giving back to the university and community at large. They wanted to start an organization that would provide the undergraduate population with the knowledge and resources they needed to become more effective and powerful business leaders while making a positive impact on the business community.

 

Several months later as summer began to set in, the two met over Vanilla Soy Lattes and Iced White Chocolate Mochas, to develop a plan to found the Undergraduate Women in Business (UWiB) Association at the University of Washington. The underlying mission was simple: Connect and Prepare the Next Generation of Female Business Leaders.

 

Amber and Raychael spent the summer of 2005 working hard to establish and build key relationships with successful women business leaders in the community, garnering their support and network to build the foundation for UWiB. After much planning, relationship building, and support garnering, Amber and Raychael officially kicked off their recruiting efforts for the founding team in the Fall quarter of 2005. Working hard to build the perfect team, they drafted key positions and conducted countless interviews, resulting in an amazing founding executive team.

 

Collectively the team developed the founding constitution of UWiB which detailed the organization’s mission, goals, and structure. In December 2005, UWiB was officially recognized as a student organization at the University of Washington. Our kick-off event featured then CEO of REI, Sally Jewell. UWiB is fortunate to receive continued support from our founding executive team and our entire alumni base. In January 2016, UWiB proudly celebrated our 10 year anniversary. We look forward to the next decade of UWiB and continuing to connect and prepare the next generation of female business leaders.