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Where in the World is Miami Wednesday: San Francisco

a group of students pose in front of the Google sign

By Rachel Berry

In this week's, Where in the World is Miami Wednesday, we meet Claire Dougherty, a junior information systems and analytics major with an entrepreneurship co-major. Claire participated in the Miami University FSB Design Your Life: Women in Entrepreneurship program, which spends a week each in San Francisco and Cincinnati meeting with Miami alumni and exploring the world of entrepreneurship in each city.

At Miami, Claire serves as the strategic partnerships director of MUF&D, a member of the retreat team for St. Mary’s, the marketing director for the Venture On entrepreneurship project, a campus tour guide and a member of greek life.

Why did you choose the program that you did?

I chose the Design Your Life program because I wanted to learn and be inspired from a variety of women with a creative mindset. I am at the point in my college career where I have to start making decisions that will impact my career, and I wanted to reach out to successful women that were outside of my Ohio bubble to hear their stories and their wisdom. Using this information, I can then build some sample plans for my own future.

Coolest place you have visited?

The coolest place that I visited was Land’s End where some girls and I on the trip were hiking and found a beach that we had all to ourselves.

What is your favorite part about your program?

My favorite part about the program was meeting all of the Miami alumni throughout the trip. We met Alison Sanger at Ironwood Capital, and it was very motivating and inspiring to hear about how she went from living in a dorm room to having a top role at a capital management firm in San Francisco. Getting to hear her story and how she is not where she originally planned to be gave me comfort and excitement for the future.

How has the study away experience changed you so far?

This study away experience has changed me a lot. I’ve learned that while it’s good to have a career plan for the future, stressing about the future isn’t worth the trouble. None of the women we met followed the straight path they thought they would be on, as they are in positions that they never dreamed they would have. Going forward, I’m going to focus on my values and what interests me, and lean into those things. With hard work, the rest will take care of itself.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Go on this program! It is open to anyone and truly opens doors to opportunities as well as opens your eyes to gender issues in the workforce. The advice I’ve learned on this program I will keep with me forever.


Catch us next week as we continue to travel around the world to feature the amazing opportunities that Miami students are taking and the experiences our alumni have had since graduating!

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