Economics student paired with alumna in mentorship program

Kate Pedisic, a fourth-year Honours Specialization in Economics student, is taking part in this year’s National Bank Financial Women Student Mentorship Program.

The goal of the mentorship program is to increase the number of women in the wealth management industry. Pedisic was one of 22 mentees selected for the 2025/2026 program. The program has grown substantially, from 105 applicants in 2018 to 350 in 2025, from 42 universities across Canada.

“This is an amazing experiential learning and invaluable career development opportunity for our female students interested in finance and wealth management-related careers,” says Dr. Grigori Erenburg, Associate Professor of Finance.

Pedisic’s mentor is King's alumna, Angela Hamilton ’96 (French Language and Literature), a wealth advisor at National Bank Financial. With over 25 years of experience, Hamilton specializes in wealth and intergenerational investment planning. Hamilton helped to introduce the National Bank Financial Women Student Mentorship Program to King’s in 2019. “I believed strongly in creating more opportunities for women in finance, and King’s felt like the perfect place to start. The college’s commitment to community and personal development made it a natural fit,” she says.

“I am looking forward to working with Angela and learning from her approach to financial education and client-focused planning. I’m also excited to learn from Angela’s experience and hear her advice on career development, leadership, and empowering women in finance,” says Pedisic. “I hope this program will help me clarify my long-term goals, build my professional network, and boost my confidence as I transition into the workforce.”

Hamilton says she is very excited to be mentoring Pedisic as part of the program.

“In my view, it’s a privilege to support a fellow King’s student, and I am looking forward to seeing her grow both personally and professionally. There’s something truly special about giving back to the community that helped shape your own journey—it feels like coming full circle,” says Hamilton.

In addition to one-on-one mentorship, the program includes a series of professional workshops, skill-building webinars, engaging business discussions, and motivational speaker sessions. Pedisic believes the mentorship and workshops will give her practical tools, industry knowledge, and a better understanding of how to navigate opportunities and challenges in the financial sector.

Pedisic applied to the program because of her passion for building a career in finance. She was drawn to the opportunity to learn directly from women leaders in the industry and wanted to gain insight into real-world finance, develop professional skills, and connect with a mentor who could offer personalized guidance and support. She says that taking economics courses at King’s has given her strong analytical and problem-solving skills that will be valuable during the mentorship program, especially in the associated workshops. King’s has also helped her develop an understanding of financial systems, market structures, and economic theory, all of which will complement the real-world knowledge she expects to gain through the program.

She hopes to gain a deeper understanding of wealth management and financial planning, along with insights into the everyday responsibilities and challenges of working in the finance industry.