Seniors leave their mark with GirlBoss Club

In fall 2022, two best friends joined together to create a space for women to connect, learn and lead. 

At the time, Skyler Goldin, ‘25, noticed a lack of laid-back, female-oriented finance clubs. This sparked the interest of her and Gabby Covino, ‘25, motivating them to create a more exploratory environment on campus.

The two then cofounded and launched Lehigh’s GirlBoss Club, which has a mission of making financial knowledge more accessible and empowering women in finance, according to its website. Since its founding, the club has organized a variety of professional development events aimed at building confidence and skills. 

“We were impressed by other clubs, but it was clear they were for people further along in their academic career,” Goldin said. “We were intimidated as freshmen going to meetings where we were the only girls in the room amongst a bunch of fraternity brothers in backwards hats.” 

Given the typical finance club culture at Lehigh, Goldin said their vision focused on non-business underclassmen who are eager to learn. She also said they placed a broader emphasis on personal finance and female professionalism. 

Covino said she wanted to facilitate a space where women could feel safe and comfortable when speaking in rooms that are typically full of men. 

“We wanted more confidence in entering a male-dominated workforce, and we think it really paid off,” she said. 

Covino also said her involvement with the club played a crucial role in preparing her for her current position at PricewaterhouseCoopers, a firm providing audit, tax and consulting services. She said she works on a 13-person team specializing in alternative investment evaluations.

Despite the club’s successes, Goldin said the journey wasn’t easy.  

She said the process of launching the club was meticulous and challenging, as driving engagement required significant effort. However, she said momentum built quickly after a successful club fair, where free giveaways drew the attention of future members. 

Covino said the club’s past events have included financial literacy workshops led by  professors and book club discussions centered on women’s empowerment.

Goldin said one of the club’s most successful programs was its open headshots event,  which drew more than 250 students for free professional photos. She said it helped establish the club’s presence on campus and opened doors for collaboration with other student-run business organizations.  

“We don’t want to just hold weekly meetings just to be able to say we did so but want all students to take value from each of our events,” Goldin said.

Although her involvement has lessened this semester as she nears her graduation, Goldin said she’s deeply passionate about the club, and it’s been a defining part of her Lehigh experience. 

As the founders prepare to leave Lehigh, they said they hope the club continues to thrive beyond their time on campus. 

With graduation approaching, they passed the torch earlier this semester to Kate Hirschen, ‘27, and Julia Pollak, ‘27, who now serve as copresidents. 

Hirschen, who joined the club last year, said she was drawn to its mission of empowering and supporting women in business. 

Building on Goldin’s original goals, Hirschen said the current executive board prioritizes planning events that provide students with practical, real-world value. She said this included a resume-writing workshop held earlier this semester, which was primarily aimed at first-year students and cohosted with Lehigh’s Center for Career and Professional Development. 

“I like to think about what people would actually want to go to and what would be useful or helpful to students,” she said.

Hirschen also hopes to revive one of the club’s most popular initiatives — the free professional headshot event. Although it didn’t take place this semester, she said plans are underway to bring it back next year due its past success and value for students developing their professional profiles.

She said the club is also considering more casual, community-focused events, like de-stressor sessions, which she believes would offer members a chance to relax and connect during busy academic periods.

As the founders conclude their time at Lehigh, they leave with hopes for the club’s continued growth and impact. 

“Although there are now many more clubs on campus similar to the GirlBoss Club, I hope that the new executives are able to keep the club going with useful events for all students,” Goldin said.