‘A valuable experience’: Faculty’s sheCommerce program gives Year 11 students a taste of life on campus

The sheCommerce program is designed to inspire and encourage the next generation of young people who identify as women (cisgender or transgender) or non-binary to explore commerce as a career path with endless possibilities during and after study.

After a successful camp for Year 9 students in July, Year 11 students from across the state of Victoria travelled to the Parkville campus for a three-day immersive experience.

The students are all passionate about leadership and pursuing a career where they can impact change.

This year, the program attracted nearly 300 applications, an excellent response for the program which is now in its second year and an increase from 235 applications in 2022.

"It was genuinely such a valuable experience; being able to experience Melbourne Uni life in Year 11 and being able to make friends with people who had similar interests and passions as me. I will treasure the time I spent sheCommerce and everything I learnt in the three days,” said Angela Chen.

Students attended workshops, lectures and seminars delivered by world-class academics at the Faculty of Business and Economics, as well as business leaders from industry.

“Engaging with like-minded girls, insightful speakers and hands-on workshops provided valuable insights into areas such as economics, finance and marketing,” said Wana Saifudin.

Dr Andrea Lu, Associate Professor of Finance and Program Director (Master of Management -Finance), said seeing how the cohort engaged in her finance session was inspiring.

"They enthusiastically delved into contracts, investments and resource allocation through the game I designed, gaining valuable insights into the financial world. It was about grasping the real-world impact of finance beyond making money. Witnessing their progress reinforced my commitment to empowering the next generation of female leaders for a better financial future."