By Rachel Bell

Hundreds of teenage girls flocked to Iowa State University on Monday, Oct. 17, to attend the Young Women in Business conference. The air was filled with excitement as the girls pondered over their future careers.

Each year, Mount Vernon High School offers their students the opportunity to attend the YWIB conference. The trip is open to any female student, no matter what grade level. The conference gives an inside look into what the business world is like. Attendees choose four session choices, ranging from comparing handbag companies, to discovering new college majors.

The suburban pulls out early in the morning in order to arrive at Iowa State by 8:30. After an introductory presentation, students are sent off to their pre-chosen sessions. Accounting, brand statements, marketing, and computer science were all offered. After attending three sessions, students reconvene for lunch and a keynote speech. Later, they return to their last session before re-entering the meeting room for a panel discussion by students of the Iowa State College of Business.

It’s an informative day, full of possible paths for future planning. Whether or not you’re thinking about majoring in a business-related field, the YWIB conference helps to set your mind straight. “It made my decision clearer that I wasn’t meant for business,” said senior Kelsey Shady, who recently attended this year’s conference. “But I still learned plenty of other things to help me in the future.”

With so many different majors to choose from, conferences like these are key to help factor out college options.