Featured Friar: Charlotte Vahey ’23

by awakelin on January 10, 2022


Features


Charlotte Vahey, a junior here at Providence College, has been an actively involved member of the campus community in her three years here on campus. Originally from Wellesley, MA, she is an accounting major with a women’s and gender studies minor, and she is in the 4+1 MBA program.

Upon her arrival at PC, Vahey knew she wanted to get involved just like she had in high school. Being a business major, she took interest in the many business clubs that are offered, joining Women in Business, International Business Club, and Delta Sigma Pi. When asked how she decided she wanted to focus her attention in these specific areas, Vahey said it was important to her that she was a part of clubs that spoke to her and her interests.

“I joined Women in Business and went to every event because I genuinely enjoyed the speakers and the girls on the executive board,” Vahey says. This inspired her to take on leadership roles within the club. Her freshman year she interviewed to take on the freshmen representative position, advancing her sophomore year to the treasurer position, and moving up the ranks even further this year to take on the vice president role. Her passion for the club stems from her deep alignment with its values. “I love the message that this club sends because we promote female empowerment through our speakers and socials, allowing young female students to see what their futures could look like in the business world.”

In addition to Women in Business, Vahey is also vice president of finance for Delta Sigma Pi and the communications director for the International Business Club. Being a part of Delta Sigma Pi holds a deep meaning of pride for Vahey because her grandfather was a Delta Sigma Pi member during his time in college. As vice president of finance, she ensures all of the chapter’s finances. While a daunting task, she expressed gratitude for all of the leadership skills the position has granted her. Additionally, her interests in international business stem from a global marketing class she took in high school, and  has blossomed into her continuation to want to learn about world cultures and the greater global economy. With all of the stress that comes with being on the executive board of three clubs and managing a full course load, Vahey says that the instagram stories and marketing projects she works on as the communications director for IBC serve as her “creative outlet.”

Vahey’s impressive involvement on campus and hard work ethic in all of her challenging classes has surely paid off. This past summer she worked as an accounting intern for Ocular Therapeutix, a biopharmaceutical company creating innovative and transformative technology. “I learned so much not only about the accounting industry, but also about the pharmaceutical fields, including research and development and clinical trials. Having an internship outside of the Big Four or an accounting firm, offered me insight into possible career options that I had never considered before,” Vahey said. She plans to continue working there over winter break.

While Vahey has certainly taken advantage of all the opportunities the business school has to offer her at PC, she also has greatly explored the diverse liberal arts offerings through her women’s and gender studies minor. When asked how she decided to declare a minor in this field, she expressed her desire to explore her interests outside of business. She says that “as a business major, my classes are quite limiting in terms of learning about how the real world operates socially. I chose women’s and gender studies in order to understand how gender affects all aspects of people’s lives.” She further expressed that “to acknowledge and accept gender differences allows people to understand how prevalent the influence of gender affects our everyday lives.” Vahey voiced that she wants to use the skills she acquires in these classes to be a better employee in the business world, which is largely male-dominated and to seek  change, making all work environments more accepting of all people.

Looking ahead, Vahey is excited for what her coming years at the College have to offer her. By glancing at her long list of accolades and activities, it is quite evident she will be busy, but nonetheless overwhelmingly rewarding. Vahey hopes to work for an accounting firm after she graduates in a few years, but no matter where she ends up, she will always be grateful for and take with her the community, opportunities, and experiences that PC has given her.