Babes University female entrepreneurship group launches at Stony Brook University
Julia Heming, of Hampton Bays; Gina Vega, of Bay Shore; Jenn Fasano, of Deer Park; Sophia Napolitano, of Commack; and Julia Castaldo meet at Village Vibes in Babylon. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Julia Heming, 24, thought following a formula — school, plus internship, plus degree — would guarantee her a job upon college graduation.
"I graduated with a really stacked resume and I had done everything right," said Heming, who graduated from Stony Brook University in 2023 with a bachelor of arts in journalism. "I had the internships and I did the networking and still nothing happened."
Heming’s post-graduation route, like that of many other students entering an increasingly challenging job market, did not go according to plan. That did not stop her from creating a new one. "I want this big, beautiful life that is full of people and full of joy and sitting in a cubicle isn’t going to get me that," she said.
Babes in University members Gina Vega, of Bay Shore; Julia Heming, of Hampton Bays; Jenn Fasano, of Deer Park; Sophia Napolitano, of Commack; and Julia Castaldo. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Three years after graduation, she's now the senior director of a new career fair aimed at helping students enter the workforce. Babes University launched this spring through the Long Island chapter of a national female entrepreneur network, Babes in Business. The inaugural four-hour Babes University event at Stony Brook University will take place this fall and will feature more than 10 mentors across different industries ranging from law, accounting, sports and influencer economy. The event will also include panel discussions and interactive activities, open to all women, specifically geared toward high school and college age girls.
"My goal is that everyone understands, it’s OK if you come out of school and feel like, 'Hey I still don’t know what I’m doing,' that’s why Babes exists," she said.
'These women are in your corner'
Babes in Business Long Island, founded by Jenn Fasano, 49, in 2019, works to breach the gap in networking for female entrepreneurs. The community of 17,000 social media followers and 187 paid members is the embodiment of women empowerment.
"This is a group that reminds you, you can do whatever you want," said Heming, who's also a group member. "And these are women that are going to be in your corner to help you make it happen."
Babes in Business hosts regular group consulting meetups and networking events throughout the year. Yearly membership tiers begin at $450, but some events are open to non-members, Fusano said.
Fasano's daughters, Kenzie, 12, and Kiley, 14, served as the inspiration for launching the Babes University subgroup.
Julia Castaldo, Sophia Napolitano and Julia Heming meet in Babylon. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
"I want them to know that anything’s possible," said Fasano. "That there’s not a cookie-cutter way that you have to grow into adulthood and find your career path."
The first Babes University meetup will take place on Sept. 19 in the Bauman Center for Leadership and Service at Stony Brook University. It will be a full-circle moment for Heming.
"The last time I was in the Bauman Center, it was in a cap and gown," she said. "I can’t wait to set it all up and take a step back and see the room transformed into Babes University because the room has a lot of meaning for me."
Although her journey after graduation was not linear, she went on to get a master of science in communication from Syracuse Newhouse School in 2025 and currently works for the nonprofit Mondays Cancer Care.
Not your average career fair
The event scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. is "a career fair, but babes style," said Fasano.
Networking events in her experience, she said, were "boring, stuffy, male-driven, not inspiring, not fun, and you didn't learn anything." Babes University, unlike your typical career fair, will be a space for women to have access to resources and connections, but also to have fun and learn something new.
"Instead of coming with a stack of resumes and a blazer and so much fear, and anxiety that it's not going to go well, you’re not going to get a job," Heming said. "You’re coming just to see what you could do."
Ticket prices for any student are $19 and $29 for nonstudents.
Alexia Astudillo, 21, a 2026 graduate of Farmingdale State College with a bachelor of science in business management and international business , has been part of the Babes in Business community for about three years.
As Babes University approaches, Astudillo has much to look forward to.
"I’m expecting a lot of networking, a lot of connections, and just overall diving in and learning about these women and what they can give to us," she said.
Babes University aims to not only educate women on entrepreneurship and life after college, but to empower them, and show them that there are no limits to their potential.
"It literally lives inside of me that I want to see every woman succeed," Fasano said. "I want to see every young girl have opportunities available to them so they can make their own decisions on what it is they want from life versus ... having to fit a mold somewhere."
