NTNU Women in Finance student organisations in Trondheim and Ålesund continue to grow, thanks in part to the Foundation’s continuous support

Above: the boards of Women in Finance NTNU Trodheim (left) and Ålesund (right). Pictured from Trondheim are: (back row from left) Oda Brevik Wangensteen, Sara Madina Persen and Marianne Iversen; (row two from left) Hedda Aamo and Julie Åsbo Foss; (front row from left) Camilla Toft, Frida Strandkleiv Øverland and Synne Årtun Granheim (not pictured: Elise Johnsrud). Pictured from Ålesund are: (front row from left) Camilla Hansen Bjørkkjær, Johanna Dybvik, Polina Fomanina, Åste Vaaden; (back row from left): Astrid Hovde, Linn Brautehaug Jakobsen, Michelle Skjegstad, Haben Maekele Gebremeskel.

At NTNU (the Norwegian University of Science and Technology)’s campuses in Trondheim and Ålesund, the Women in Finance student groups have both seen encouraging growth since their creation

With a new academic year now well underway, we recently checked in with the Women in Finance student groups at NTNU Trondheim and NTNU Ålesund, both of which are supported by the ABG Sundal Collier Women in Finance Foundation.
In Ålesund, the student group, which has been in operation for two and a half year, counts a member base of 151 female students (up from 138 number last year and from 94 two years ago). In Trondheim, where the student group has been in operation since 2019, a total of 441 female students are currently members (up from 111 last year and from 100 two years ago).
The Foundation has supported both groups since each of them was created and recently renewed its support for both organisations (independently) for another year’s term, with the aim of continuing to encourage women at the two campuses to consider finance as a field of study and future career path.
The new-elected student boards of both groups are eager to continue building their respective organisations, and report that their efforts have so far been well received at NTNU.
In Trondheim, the student organisation will once again host a Women in Finance Day on International Women’s Day in March 2024, as well as various lectures, workshops and social gatherings throughout the academic year. Last week, the group hosted a lecture by Terje Berg, Associate Professor at the NTNU Business School, which offered participating students an insight into the world of finance, including topics such as: different types of investments, the function of the Oslo Stock Exchange, the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global, value creation, interest rates, funding, shares, and other topics. Additionally, he provided an overview of the wide variety of career opportunities that exist within the finance industry. The aim of the event was to inspire the attending female students and provide them with useful tips and insights into the finance industry.
Frida Øverland, Head of the NTNU Women in Finance group in Trondheim, reported that: “The event attracted significant interest from our members; the seats filled up right away! The board was pleased by this level of enthusiasm and is already planning to increase the capacity for our upcoming events over the coming semester. We are grateful to the ABG Sundal Collier Women in Finance Foundation for its continued support as our main partner, and look forward to partnering with the Foundation and ABG Sundal Collier for our Women in Finance Day this March”.
In Ålesund, the Women in Finance student group recently hosted one of their principle annual activities, the Kvinner i Finans (“Women in Finance”) day. The event was attended by 50 students (all tickets sold out), who participated in presentations by DNB and VIEW Ledger, as well as by Ann-Helen Svinø, CEO at Ålesund Sentrumsforening (“the Ålesund city union”). The group also plans to host another Women in Finance day this spring.
Polina Fomanina, Deputy Head of the student group, commented that, “With the Foundation’s support, we will be able to organise even more activities and events going forward. WIF relies on maintaining a presence and visibility on campus to engage with fellow students. Additionally, we are in the process of organising smaller, more frequent events like monthly investment evenings. The donation from the Foundation will make it possible to execute our plans for the current school year!”
The Foundation’s Marianne Daae commented that: “One of the Foundation’s key focus areas remains the recruitment of women into entry-level positions in the finance industry. As such, the success of campus women in finance groups is highly encouraging, as these groups help to equip women with insight into the finance industry as well as inspire them to pursue it as a career path. We are also particularly pleased to see the success of the student groups at NTNU, as we welcome the widening of the possible talent pool of students considering a career in the finance industry to include those with a science and technology background”.

Above: Recent highlights from WIF NTNU Trondheim, including (from left): a presentation by ABGSC’s Corporate Finance team (Tuva Einang Prestegard and Christopher Elsrud) last spring; WIF NTNU Trondheim’s Christmas party earlier this month; and Terje Berg, Associate Professor at the NTNU Business School, Faculty of Economics and Management, addresses students during an event last week.

Above: A recent highlights from WIF NTNU Ålesund: the Women in Finance event that took place in September.

About Women in Finance NTNU Trondheim
Women in Finance NTNU Trondheim offers educational events and information, mainly for female students interested in learning more about financial markets and exploring career opportunities within the financial sector. The organisation’s goals are to:
1. Create a network of female students interested in finance;
2. Provide members with the necessary skills and relationships to pursue careers in the financial sector; and,
3. Inspire more female students to pursue careers in the financial sector, thereby contributing to making affirmative action unnecessary.

About Women in Finance NTNU Ålesund
Women in Finance NTNU Ålesund aims to increase the number of female students who are interested in finance and equip them with the inspiration and tools to make informed choices when it comes to both their personal finances and potential career paths. Their ultimate goal is to help balance the gender ratio in the finance industry, by introducing students to the industry and connecting them with relevant players within it.