Through Forté, Peris Mwangi Is Preparing for a Finance Career

Peris Mwangi, Smith College, Class of ‘23

• Forté Campus Ambassador
• Forté Career Ready Certificate Earner
• Forté Women of Color College Leadership Conference, 2020

In her first year at Smith College, Peris Mwangi was unsure of what major to choose. As an international student from Kenya, she says, “I knew nothing about careers in the United States.” She started attending forums and events on campus, including a Forté information session, to explore her options.

Now a sophomore majoring in Quantitative Economics with a minor in African Studies, Peris credits Forté with helping her find her path. She says, “Some of the people that I’ve met through Forté have solidified my interest academically in economics. In terms of career preparation, I feel like I’m prepared to launch a career in the finance industry, and Forté has been very instrumental in that.”

Finding Her Place in the Finance Industry

In October, 2020, Peris attended the Forté Women of Color College Leadership Conference, which was held online due to the pandemic. Looking back on the two-day event, she says, “The most impactful thing about the conference was hearing from all the speakers who were senior executives and women already working in the finance industry. For me as a woman of color, that was really inspiring, because I felt like there’s space for someone like me in the industry.” She also appreciated the opportunity to build her network by connecting with like-minded students from other schools.

During the conference, Peris participated in a simulation activity on how to use critical thinking and presentation skills to influence outcomes. She says, “We got to meet with a recruiter and they asked us interview-like questions. It was really helpful.”

I feel like I’m prepared to launch a career in the finance industry, and Forté has been very instrumental in that.

Moving Forward with a Forté Mentor

Peris has also taken advantage of Forté’s Career Ready Certificate Program, which offers self-paced instruction on building your brand, positioning yourself for success, and considering your career options. The program is free, and she encourages other undergrads to sign up for it. She says, “The course material is very well thought out, and it could help them solidify the skills they will need for whatever industry they want to go into.”

After Peris completed her Career Ready Certificate, Forté matched her with an MBA mentor, and they’ve been working together for about a year now. Peris says, “She’s been amazing. She’s an HR recruiter at Citibank. She has been really helpful with mentorship, being there to talk and ask questions, and I can always text her when I need something urgent.”

In the future, Peris hopes to earn her MBA. She says, “I learned from Forté about the deferred MBA program, where you can apply and get admitted into a business school, and go into the work force for two to four years, and then enroll later.” Students apply for deferred MBA programs in their senior year of college, and that’s something she’s hoping to pursue.  Peris has a strong plan for her future career, and she’s grateful to Forte for the guidance that helped her get there. She says, “I don’t know where my career would be headed had I not met Forté.”