RECAP: Speaker Series with Suzanne Gauron

November 9 marked our first Speaker Series Event of the year! Featuring Suzanne Gauron, Head of Launch with Goldman Sachs, the event captured insights from the male-dominated field of investment banking. Suzanne shared her experiences with Goldman Sachs, finding a passion in the walls of Wall Street, and finding confidence behind a string of challenges and rejections. 

Suzanne Gauron was joined by Mahek Mehta, former Vanderbilt WiB President from 2019 to 2020. During the event, Mahek facilitated a conversation with Suzanne regarding working in investment banking and managing time in a stress-induced work environment. Among Suzanne’s insight and advice, she shared the idea of pursuing something of genuine interest, pointing out that those who have succeeded often do something fundamentally very interesting to them. At the end of the day, work becomes something to look forward to when it’s enjoyable. 

When asked about finding the right workplace, Suzanne emphasized the importance of believing in the people you work for. When developing a healthy work environment, mutual respect and trust become the foundation for creative ideas, innovation, and progress. She underlined that good teams come down to fundamental respect, listening, and equal ownership, which spurs the growth and support of initiatives like Launch with Goldman Sachs. 

Suzanne finished the event with final pieces of advice as students look forward to their futures after college. She urges working individuals to consider two important things: Do you like it? Are you learning? As we move forward with job applications and internship opportunities, these questions become even more crucial for determining our place within the workplace. The piece of advice demands that we think for ourselves, rather than chasing external signifiers. Only then can we truly find happiness in what we do and fulfilment in our successes.