FOL-Business

Jessica Yan (InfoAn'19)

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 21:14:24 +0000

Jessica Yan (InfoAn'19) Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/19/2023 - 15:14

Program Associate, Pivotal Ventures

Jessica Yan doesn鈥檛 aspire to be the smartest person in the room鈥攚hich is why she recently surrounded herself with 151 of some of the smartest people in the world, who were chosen for the prestigious Schwarzman Scholars program. Through this program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, she completed a master鈥檚 in Global Affairs.

The program is committed to preparing the next generation of global leaders. Yan lived and worked with other scholars who shared a similar passion for collaborating and solving problems across borders. She described it as a transformative experience鈥攖hey ate meals together, cried together and traveled together.

鈥淭here really isn鈥檛 one mold for Schwarzman Scholars鈥攚e come from all around the world and from all different kinds of fields,鈥� Yan said. 鈥淏ut what is common among us is our zeal for the mission that we're on and our desire to be a part of a global community.鈥�

Yan has traveled across the world and done amazing things with her career in the past few years鈥攚hich she says is partly because of a 探花视频 scholarship she received her junior year. The Tang Family Foundation Scholarship allowed Yan to travel to China for four weeks and helped inspire an interest in international issues.

鈥淭his is one of the reasons that sparked my interest and going abroad to do Schwarzman Scholars鈥攊t also really inspired my interest in international issues and how those intersect with the kinds of domestic issues that I鈥檝e already been working on as related to gender and race,鈥� she said.

鈥淲omen are so incredible鈥攈ow much better could the world be if women and women of color could actually reach their full potential?鈥�

Jessica Yan (InfoAn鈥�19)

Despite her aversion to being singled out, Yan graduated from the program first in her class. Now, she wants to use that momentum and what she鈥檚 learned to make a greater impact in gender and racial justice work.

鈥淭he question is, how can I carry that work onwards from what I learned, and I think it starts with the kind of social impact work that I'm doing now and ultimately being able to give those opportunities to other people as well,鈥� she said.

A Calling to Justice

She knew she wanted to pursue a career in social justice since she was young. As an Asian-American in a lower-income family, her personal experiences with oppression shed light on inequalities and inspired her to help be a part of the change.

Upon graduating from Leeds in 2019 with an emphasis in Information Analytics and Leadership, Yan got a job at Redstone Strategy Group as a philanthropic strategy consultant for large foundations, where she worked for gender and racial justice. She now works for Pivotal Ventures, a company founded by Melinda French Gates on a mission to bring more opportunity and equality to people in the U.S.

Her journey into these positions hasn鈥檛 been easy鈥攖here have always been challenges that come with being the 鈥渇irst and only鈥� in many spaces, where feelings of intimidation made her question if she actually belonged at the companies she was with. Over the years, she鈥檚 learned the value her life experiences can add to the equity-focused work she鈥檚 pursuing.

鈥淭he reason I do this work is because I want to rewrite a previous narrative and show that strong women are right,鈥� she said. 鈥淲omen are so incredible鈥攈ow much better could the world be if women and women of color could actually reach their full potential?鈥�

鈥淎s I continue to progress in my career and take the baton from many leaders who are ahead of me, I only hope that future generations continue to advance this work as well,鈥� she said.

As for more personal goals, Yan wants to be a role model for her younger self.

鈥淲hen I was younger, I never knew of many women and Asian women that were leaders,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n the future, I hope I can be somebody who embodies confidence. Someone with integrity who makes decisions that make the world a better place.鈥�

After graduating from Leeds and the prestigious Schwarzman Scholars program, Jessica Yan wants to use what she鈥檚 learned to make a greater impact in gender and racial justice work.

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Kyla Thomas (RE, Fin鈥�23)

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Kyla Thomas (RE, Fin鈥�23) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/14/2023 - 00:00

Analyst, BlackRock

Kyla Thomas is both a Colorado native and newcomer, if such a thing is possible.

Despite growing up in Salida, she only discovered hiking last year, and is fresh off her first skiing trip around the holidays.

鈥淭he embrace of the outdoors was slow,鈥� she said.

In fact, it almost didn鈥檛 come at all. A first-generation student, Kyla was set on leaving, only staying in Colorado to take advantage of in-state scholarships鈥攃hoosing Leeds after a last-minute award came in and made 探花视频 affordable.

鈥淚 cried,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 knew it was the best business school in the state and that the campus was beautiful, even though I鈥檇 never been to Boulder before.鈥�

It turned out to be the perfect fit for Kyla, both for her varied interests鈥攑resident of the Real Estate Club and a Leeds Ambassador, plus a former tutor and member of Women in Finance鈥攁nd the opportunity to live in a bustling college town: 鈥淏oulder was a perfect transition from the very rural part of the state, where I come from, and downtown Denver, where I see myself headed next鈥� as part of what she hopes is a career in development.

A new perspective on real estate

It started quite by accident鈥擪yla dropped in on a meeting of the Real Estate Club as a first-year student and found the breadth of the industry fascinating, especially as someone who thought of the industry as just buying and selling houses. She went on to become its president after the pandemic; through her leadership, the group has more than tripled in size while attracting guest speakers representing national players in finance, architecture, development and more.

And to speak to the club, those guests make the trip to Boulder.

鈥淚 like to work on different things at the same time. If I鈥檓 just focused on one thing, I don鈥檛 perform as well.鈥�

Kyla Thomas (RE, Fin鈥�23)

鈥淰irtual is not how we do things,鈥� Kyla said. 鈥淲e want these experts to come to connect with our students, whether they鈥檙e looking for jobs, seeking informational interviews or just want to ask questions about the industry. That鈥檚 really awkward and public on an online platform,鈥� especially because the group has worked hard to attract first- and second-year students who may be less comfortable or poised in virtual settings.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no real estate mod, so for younger students, this is a great introduction to the industry and chance to explore whether it鈥檚 right for them,鈥� Kyla said.

The leadership experience with the club has benefited her, but even more influential has been the Inclusive City Builder Fellowship, which is in its first year and has a cohort of eight students from 探花视频 and the Metropolitan State University of Denver.

As a fellow in the program, Kyla has been able to see 鈥渞eal estate from start to finish,鈥� as she put it. Each Friday over the course of the academic year, she has a full day of onsite instruction from the leaders of companies in general contracting, architecture and development, including opportunities to tour properties to see different principles in action and meet with decision-makers in the organization.

鈥淭he biggest part is not only the learning, but the network and connections,鈥� Kyla said. 鈥淲e learned from the leaders at these companies because they really want to help students break into the real estate industry and share a mission of encouraging diversity.鈥�

Access to mentorship

The program also gave her access to a mentor, who works in human resources at McWhinney, where it鈥檚 no coincidence that she began an internship this spring.

鈥淲hen I was interviewing for the fellowship, I said I was interested in becoming a developer, and they paired me with the only person at McWhinney in the program,鈥� Kyla said. The two connect regularly鈥攊ncluding a lunch, that turned into an invitation to an office holiday event, that turned into a chance to advocate for herself as an intern.

It鈥檚 not her first internship鈥攕he鈥檚 also worked at Stream Realty Partners鈥攂ut it鈥檚 first chance to purely focus on development, especially in the urban mixed-use space. Building 鈥渢he kinds of places where people are making memories鈥� is something she鈥檚 interested in exploring in the long term; for now, she鈥檚 excited to be taking a job as an alternatives analyst at BlackRock鈥檚 asset management team.

That should provide her with the variety that she craves as both a student and young professional.

鈥淎s president of the Real Estate Club, my role is leading 12 other people who have different roles and ideas, and making sure we arrive in the right place,鈥� Kyla said. 鈥淒evelopment is similar鈥攜ou鈥檙e a jack of all trades, and I like to work on different things at the same time. If I鈥檓 just focused on one thing, I don鈥檛 perform as well.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Undergraduate programs CU Real Estate Center

An Inclusive City Builder fellowship helped Kyla Thomas build an incredible professional network.

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Jasmine Fabela Sanchez (Fin, Acct鈥�25)

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Jasmine Fabela Sanchez (Fin, Acct鈥�25) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/07/2023 - 00:00

Intern, HoneyBee Robotics

As the oldest of four children, Jasmine Fabela Sanchez is in some ways already her own boss. Helping her parents keep house was all part of growing up, alongside being a full-time student, working part-time in high school and even attempting her own eyelash business.

鈥淲hen I got into Leeds, it was a calling鈥攁n affirmation of what I wanted to do,鈥� said Jasmine, a first-generation college student. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been very independent and I know I want to be my own boss someday.鈥�

She鈥檚 still figuring out what form that may take鈥攑erhaps starting an accounting business or brokerage鈥� maybe even getting into real estate鈥攁nd is using her time at Leeds to explore as much as possible.

鈥淚鈥檓 trying to be as involved as I can,鈥� Jasmine said. 鈥淚鈥檝e met so many incredible people in all these clubs, whether it鈥檚 Women in Business or the Multicultural Business Students Association.鈥� She also is a mentor in the Diverse Scholars Program and is a student assistant for CU鈥檚 Business and Engineering Women in Technology program; this summer, she鈥檒l be working in the finance department at HoneyBee Robotics, where she鈥檒l have opportunities to interact with the spacecraft technology company鈥檚 engineering and accounting teams.

Testing her limits

The possibilities for exploration have already extended to global travel, through the First-Year Global Experience, which sent her to Barcelona last year; she鈥檚 eagerly anticipating studying abroad in Madrid as a junior. The opportunity to test her boundaries helped bring her to Leeds, along with the sense of values that are part of the curriculum and the culture.

鈥淐oming to Leeds opened my eyes to a whole new world鈥攂oth how many people go here and how different their backgrounds all are,鈥� she said.

A North Boulder native, Jasmine originally thought she鈥檇 attend school out of state, 鈥渂ut when COVID hit, I got really close to my family,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd Leeds turned out to be the perfect fit, especially once I got involved with the EXCEL Scholars Program.鈥�

The EXCEL program, part of Leeds鈥� Office of Diversity Affairs, helps first-year students orient to college life ahead of Leeds Launch. Jasmine said that program, and ODA generally, helped her form a community and be a better student.

鈥淐oming to Leeds opened my eyes to a whole new world鈥攂oth how many people go here and how different their backgrounds all are.鈥�

Jasmine Fabela Sanchez (Fin, Acct鈥�25)

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a first-generation student, you don鈥檛 have someone who鈥檚 been there before who can hold your hand and help you know the deadlines, know how to get financial aid, fill out a FAFSA form,鈥� she said. It鈥檚 why she鈥檚 a regular speaker in AVID鈥擜chievement Via Individual Determination鈥攚hich gives her opportunities to encourage other first-generation students to see the process through.

鈥淚 hope I can pave the way for my sister and younger brothers, so they鈥檒l have someone to help them,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f I can be that asset, and help them and their friends get degrees that change their lives, that would be awesome.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Undergraduate programs Diverse Scholars Program

Jasmine鈥檚 ultimate goal in getting a business education is to be her own boss someday. Leeds is helping her figure out how to get there.

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Anya Aidun (InfoMgmt鈥�23)

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Anya Aidun (InfoMgmt鈥�23) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/17/2023 - 00:00

Business Analyst, McKinsey & Co.

Anya Aidun is teaching herself to Rollerblade.

As a classically trained ballet dancer, you鈥檇 think she鈥檇 have the balance, poise and agility to easily master inline skating, 鈥渂ut gravity and I do not have the sort of agreement you need to learn how to Rollerblade,鈥� Anya said, laughing. 鈥淚鈥檝e gotten really good at it in my room, though, because there鈥檚 a carpet, so I don鈥檛 fall down.鈥�

However, when it comes to her professional aspirations, Anya has had no trouble standing tall. She鈥檚 a highly active student鈥攁 member of Leeds Consulting Group and leadership roles with Leeds Student Government and the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity鈥攕ecured a great internship with McKinsey that led to a full-time offer and was recognized this spring as one of 探花视频鈥檚 2023 Student Leaders of the Year.

Anya鈥檚 view on what it takes to be an effective leader has, not surprisingly, changed since high school, where she already held executive-level positions at several student clubs.

鈥淭he way I view leadership now is knowing yourself, showing up authentically and inspiring other people to do the same thing,鈥� she said. 鈥淎t Leeds, I learned more about myself, which lets me show up in a more intentional way for other people. And you have a more meaningful impact when you鈥檙e surrounded by other people who are encouraged to bring their genuine selves to the table.

鈥淭he award means so much to me because I think it was not about the executive positions I was in, but rather, about making people feel part of the Leeds community.鈥�

Making a big school a little smaller

As a Boulder native, Anya has a head start on helping fellow Business Buffs get acclimated to Leeds, though most of the schools she applied to were far from home. The views of the Flatirons, and the resources of a major state university, helped tip the decision to stay local. Admission to the Leeds Scholars Program also was pivotal; 鈥渋t made CU a little bit smaller and helped me find my own community,鈥� she said.

Where she found community was in Leeds鈥� student consulting club鈥攁vailable by application only鈥攁nd government, which Anya said was instrumental in her development as a student. It also gave her leadership experience鈥攕he served as vice president of student organizations鈥攁nd something to look forward to when the pandemic made student life virtual.

鈥淎t Leeds, I learned more about myself, which lets me show up in a more intentional way for other people.鈥�

Anya Aidun (InfoMgmt鈥�23)

鈥淚t was something to look forward to鈥攇etting together with friends and figuring out how to make the school a better place,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his year, there鈥檚 been a real shift in the organization to find a way to build better community for everyone in Leeds鈥攏ot just the people already engaged in a bunch of clubs.鈥�

Anya completed multiple internships as a Leeds student, but most enjoyed working with McKinsey over the summer. She got to work on a project in higher education where the company consulted with a university considering whether to open a new campus as part of its overall growth strategy.

鈥淚t was the best experience I could have had鈥攁 crash course in everything I needed to do to own and manage my own work stream,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ometimes as an intern, you just float around and help out where you can. That wasn鈥檛 my experience at McKinsey.鈥�

As she prepares to return to the company鈥檚 Denver offices after graduation, she鈥檚 looking forward to exploring different avenues and see what professional path in consulting most excites her. Her Leeds classes鈥攅specially the discipline-intensive mods and BASE experience鈥攇ave her the breadth needed in the fast-moving world of consulting.

鈥淟eeds taught me how to quickly take in information and be able to make rapid decisions,鈥� Anya said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the key to success in consulting, because you have to be constantly learning.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Undergraduate programs Leeds Student Government

Anya's extensive leadership service helped her become recognized as one of 探花视频's Student Leaders of the Year.

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Wes Weber (Mktg, BA鈥�22; MSBA鈥�23)

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Wes Weber (Mktg, BA鈥�22; MSBA鈥�23) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/10/2023 - 00:00

Data Analyst Consultant, CapTech

It can be intimidating to make the jump from newly minted college graduate to full-time student in a master鈥檚 program.

Wes Weber is not easily intimidated. That鈥檚 one of the lesser-discussed advantages of chasing after a full-grown buffalo during home football games.

Wes is part of the Ralphie handler program. He and his fellow student-athletes lead the university鈥檚 live mascot onto the field before and during home football games, while also helping care for the animal when she鈥檚 out of the spotlight. It鈥檚 an obvious physical challenge to keep up with Ralphie, but the program also teaches plenty of intangibles鈥攍eadership, communication, improvisation, resilience鈥攖hat translate in the boardroom.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e in the public eye like this, you learn to focus and perform under pressure,鈥� Wes said. 鈥淲hen I walk in the room鈥攚hether in class or an interview鈥擨 know I can hold my own, and feel like I belong there.鈥�

Chasing the dream鈥攍iterally

The pandemic put an asterisk on his time as a handler, though, so when the opportunity to run for a fifth year as a master鈥檚 student presented itself, Wes put his professional career on hold to literally chase the dream one more time.

There aren鈥檛 many graduate students who are part of the program, so Wes is able to offer perspective that his younger teammates may not have.

鈥淚鈥檝e learned how to earn respect from people, while also teaching and being a good teammate鈥攁nd that is a huge part of being a professional, the ability to lead and listen,鈥� he said.

鈥淚鈥檝e learned how to earn respect from people, while also teaching and being a good teammate鈥攁nd that is a huge part of being a professional, the ability to lead and listen.鈥�

Wes Weber (Mktg, BA鈥�22; MSBA鈥�23)

Learning to listen, in particular, has been a skill he鈥檚 developed as a graduate student. Wes said he鈥檚 fortunate enough to be attending classes with professionals who are bringing years of experience to classroom discussions, which gives him invaluable perspective on changes in business analytics.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have the tangible workplace stories鈥濃€攖hough he does have multiple internships, at Ball and Hi There Solutions鈥斺€渂ut I do have the confidence and curiosity to engage in the conversation. Taking part in those discussions and learning from others is my job as a student.鈥�

Wes came to CU because of the Ralphie program鈥攈is first memory of seeing Ralphie run was as a 10-year-old, attending a Buffs game with his father鈥攂ut he鈥檚 stuck around for an extra year because he appreciates the value of the intangible skills he cultivated as an undergrad.

鈥淵ou walk out of Leeds feeling prepared for anything,鈥� Wes said. 鈥淢y professors have given me the confidence and preparedness to help me feel I can do this. And it goes hand in hand with the Ralphie program of being a leader, being able to use my voice and believing in myself to get the job done, whatever it may be.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds M.S. Business Analytics Ralphie handlers

Chasing after a buffalo and being a standout student surrounded by seasoned professionals all amounts to confidence.

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Nataly Diaz Ortega (MBA鈥�24)

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 19:31:34 +0000

Nataly Diaz Ortega (MBA鈥�24) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 02/24/2023 - 12:31

Co-Vice President, Barney Ford Scholarship Fundraiser

Working hard is a value Nataly Diaz Ortega learned early.

Nataly鈥檚 parents鈥斺€渢he hardest workers I know,鈥� she calls them鈥攊mmigrated to Colorado from Mexico, working blue-collar jobs and making sacrifices so that their oldest daughter could study marketing at CU Denver.

It鈥檚 a model she鈥檚 emulated every day. Because she was such a good student and aced so many Advanced Placement exams in high school, she earned enough college credits鈥攁nd scholarship support鈥攖o complete her bachelor鈥檚 degree in three years. And even though she had a job offer on the table, she made the unusual decision to instead enroll in the full-time Leeds MBA, even as she supports herself by working two jobs on the side.

鈥淏ecause of COVID, I didn鈥檛 feel I was ready for the real world just yet,鈥� Nataly said. 鈥淚 always wanted to get an MBA, and I was familiar with the CU ecosystem, so just figured I would do it while I was still in that student mindset.鈥�

Finding a way to give back

One thing that鈥檚 been a revelation鈥攁nd she鈥檚 had more than a few, as the youngest person in her MBA cohort鈥攊s that graduate scholarships are much harder to come by. That鈥檚 why when her packed schedule only allowed her to pick two extracurricular activities, one of them became the Barney Ford Fellowship Fund, which provides scholarships that promote diversity within Leeds鈥� MBA program.

鈥淎s a first-gen student, scholarships that promoted diversity really helped me get through undergrad and overcome some of the imposter syndrome I felt,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 consider myself lucky in that my MBA cohort is pretty diverse, but I can see how our community as a whole need to do better鈥攁nd this kind of scholarship can create awareness and be part of that solution.鈥�

And while her classmates may have more professional experience than she does, Nataly understands, and is passionate about, work that supports diversity and equity. She鈥檚 volunteered with Tax Help Colorado getting an IRS certification in order to help Hispanic taxpayers file their returns, and has tutored through the I Have a Dream Foundation of Boulder County.

鈥淭hrough this scholarship, I鈥檝e found there are a lot of people who care about diversity鈥攜ou just have to offer them ways to help.鈥�

Nataly Diaz Ortega (MBA鈥�24)

As co-vice president of marketing, Nataly is helping drive participation and donations for the 30th annual Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship Fundraiser, taking place in early March. Something that鈥檚 surprised her about her work on behalf of the event is just how willing people are to support the cause.

鈥淵ou see a lot of organizations that talk about how they want more diversity without really doing anything about it,鈥� Nataly said. 鈥淭hrough this scholarship, I鈥檝e found there are a lot of people who care about diversity鈥攜ou just have to offer them ways to help.鈥�

The event also has connected back to her classes, and have made conversations about diversity and equity in business 鈥渇eel more real and applicable,鈥� especially conversations related to inequalities at work and how leaders can be more sensitive to matters of diversity.

Challenged by her cohort

As mentioned, Nataly is the youngest in her cohort, which includes established professionals, teachers, doctors, engineers and so on. And while she was at first intimidated by their experience, she鈥檚 learned to use it to her advantage as she chases a career in sports and entertainment marketing.

鈥淭hey push me to do better, and hold me to a higher standard,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 feel like I have to prove myself more, being so much younger than my classmates, but they have made it a great learning experience for me.鈥�

She actually got into sports marketing by accident, agreeing to take some new classes her advisors were offering while she was finishing her work at CU Denver.

鈥淚t sounded like something different to build out my r茅sum茅,鈥� Nataly said. 鈥淏ut I quickly realized how much fun those industries are. There鈥檚 so much creativity and competitiveness.鈥�

And, speaking of creativity and competition, her big professional goal is to be part of a team that develops an ad that airs during the Super Bowl: 鈥淢y family is all big sports fans, especially soccer and football. I love the Super Bowl, but I could talk to you for hours about the commercials.鈥�

She鈥檚 had plenty of professional exposure in this space鈥攊ncluding service with the Denver Women鈥檚 Sports Collective, which promotes networking and career advancement for women in sports鈥攂ut Nataly also realized how much relationships come into play in such a competitive field. It鈥檚 why she鈥檚 happy she is studying at 探花视频.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have much of a network in the field, and Boulder has connections everywhere,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut on top of that, having to figure out the time management piece of it has helped me understand my priorities and focus. I want to work in this field because it鈥檚 fun, but I also want to make money so I can help my parents retire and get the rest that they deserve.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Leeds MBA programs Barney Ford Scholarship

The first in her family to go to college, Nataly says scholarships were key to being able to attend. Now, she鈥檚 giving back as an MBA student.

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Isha Batra (Bus鈥�25)

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 23:41:51 +0000

Isha Batra (Bus鈥�25) Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/31/2023 - 16:41

Intern, Deloitte

When it came to choosing where she wanted to study, Isha Batra picked 探花视频 in part because family is important to her, and the campus is close to her Erie home.

However, it鈥檚 worth noting that her entire family attended Colorado State, so the Batras are still getting used to having a Buff at home.

鈥淚 wanted to be independent and go farther away, but it really just came down to a reality check for me,鈥� Isha said. 鈥淚 love Boulder鈥檚 campus and I have so many close friends who went to Leeds鈥攁nd everything I heard from them was always positive.鈥�

So far, the fit has been perfect for Isha. As a first-year student, she landed a support role in the Office of Diversity Affairs, where she helps facilitate networking events and manage social media content for women鈥檚 programs. In the fall, she started a new role as a peer life coach for the Designing Your Leeds class.

鈥淚 think a lot of people don鈥檛 love that class, because it forces you to learn a different way of thinking,鈥� she said. The course introduces design thinking鈥攁 unique problem-solving approach that鈥檚 new to most college students鈥斺€渁nd oftentimes, there鈥檚 no one right answer. A lot of business students are used to the idea of a right answer. I really enjoy working with these students to help them understand that, but it鈥檚 also fun to look back on where I was a year ago and see how much I鈥檝e changed in a short time.鈥�

鈥�To me, the word business means helping people. It was cool to see that come to life on my internship.鈥�

Isha Batra (Bus鈥�25)

Part of that change came from Isha landing a coveted internship with Deloitte last summer, thanks to her work at ODA. She and her roommate鈥攂oth scholars in the Women鈥檚 Empowerment Initiative鈥攁ttended an event on building a better LinkedIn profile because attendance was light, and she wound up meeting the two Deloitte recruiters running the presentation.

Encouraged to seek internships early

鈥淎s a freshman, an internship was never on my radar,鈥� Isha said. 鈥淭he school encourages you to go to career events early, but I was stuck in that mentality that internships are hard to get鈥攅specially as a freshman and especially at a Big Four company. It was a road that was terrifying to me at every step.鈥�

Not only that, it was a long road, with five rounds of interviews. In the final round, she actually was turned down before the company specifically made room for a second Leeds intern so she could take part.

The discovery internship was broad, but gave her a chance to see the inner workings of the company and do real project work鈥攊ncluding a project with United Way that aimed to solve the problem of food shortages in Maui, which hit home because she spends her summers surfing in Hawaii.

鈥淭o me, the word business means helping people,鈥� Isha said. 鈥淚t was cool to see that come to life on my internship.鈥�

She鈥檒l be returning to Deloitte this summer, where she鈥檒l intern in its risk and financial advisory area, and while she isn鈥檛 sure what her future holds, 鈥淟eeds has me on the right track,鈥� Isha said. 鈥淭he structure and support I get is so beneficial for helping me think about what my career path might look like when I graduate.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Undergraduate programs Office of Diversity Affairs

An internship with Deloitte helped Isha appreciate that business can be about helping others.

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Michael Lau (MBA鈥�20; MSBA鈥�21)

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Michael Lau (MBA鈥�20; MSBA鈥�21) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/11/2022 - 00:00

Senior Digital Marketing Strategist, HG Insights

The U.S. military may not have coined the phrase 鈥渆mbrace the suck,鈥� but it certainly popularized it as an ethos for making the best of a bad situation.

Michael Lau has mastered it.

In the final year of his Leeds MBA, the former U.S. Army sergeant was extended an offer to return part-time to the marketing internship he completed in the summer. As the months went by, he was certain that he鈥檇 be getting a full-time offer after graduation, to the point where he and his wife celebrated it.

鈥淚 was like, 鈥業t would take an act of God for me not to get this,鈥欌€� Michael said. 鈥淭wo weeks later, COVID happened, and they had to rescind the offer. That was a very humbling moment.鈥�

Invaluable experience

Michael applied elsewhere, but heard the same story most job-seekers heard in the spring of 2020. That鈥檚 how, with the ink on his diploma barely dry, he wound up back in the classroom, this time in the business analytics master鈥檚 program.

鈥淚t was kind of like that nightmare where you鈥檙e back in high school鈥攋ust a sense of d茅j脿 vu where you鈥檙e asking yourself, am I really going to commit another year of my life to this?鈥� Michael said.

But he鈥檚 the first to say the experience was invaluable, especially as he looks to advance his career in marketing and keep an eye on rising through the ranks.

鈥淥ne of the things an education should do is challenge your own ideas, as opposed to just reinforcing what you already know.鈥�

Michael Lau (MBA鈥�20; MSBA鈥�21)

鈥淚鈥檓 able to ask the right questions of people who鈥檝e been doing this for five or 10 years鈥擨 can speak the language that makes sense to them, and I can also understand it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n many ways, it was like a language course鈥攜ou鈥檙e learning programming languages and learning how to speak them so you can do your job more effectively.鈥�

At HG Insights, Michael鈥檚 work focuses on planning and executing digital campaigns, then evaluating their success and making tweaks as needed. His MBA means he knows what strategic questions to ask, while his business analytics degree helps him frame those questions for analysts.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very valuable to prove a campaign isn鈥檛 doing well, as opposed to just feeling that way,鈥� Michael said. 鈥淭hat lets you drive decisions using data, as opposed to just experience.鈥�

鈥楽tubbornly determined鈥�

That kind of informed decision-making helped him choose Leeds, but the school actually came on his radar when his father鈥攁 university professor who still lives in Hong Kong鈥攇ave his son some CU swag鈥攁 water bottle, which he still has鈥攁fter attending a conference near Fort Carson, where Michael was stationed.

Sound impulsive? He doesn鈥檛 disagree, calling himself 鈥渟tubbornly determined.鈥�

鈥淚 think tenacity has been something I鈥檝e really embraced, not just in returning to America鈥濃€攈e and his family moved to Hong Kong when he was 9鈥斺€渂ut in joining the Army, in pursuing higher education.鈥�

Something he liked most about his grad school experience was the diverse network he built as a result of all the connections he made.

鈥淚t was just like the military鈥攜ou meet all sorts of different people, from different walks of life, with different backgrounds,鈥� Michael said. 鈥淭hose differences are so important, because one of the things an education should do is challenge your own ideas, as opposed to just reinforcing what you already know. That was something I took from the military and graduate school, and it鈥檚 been helpful to me both personally and professionally.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Why Leeds MS Business Analytics

The military and his master's degrees helped Michael find adaptability and perspective in the pandemic.

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Christina Uhlir (Neuro鈥�13; MSBA鈥�21)

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Christina Uhlir (Neuro鈥�13; MSBA鈥�21) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/14/2022 - 00:00

ERP Functional Analyst, Arrow Electronics

It鈥檚 not common for IT analysts at large organizations to have regular face time with customers.

But Christina Uhlir is not a typical IT analyst, and the chance to interact directly with people is a key reason she enjoys her work at Arrow Electronics.

鈥淚鈥檝e been called an outreach analyst,鈥� Christina said, because of her ability to quickly translate technical information and her comfort in connecting with people. In a time of hybrid work, she鈥檚 often in the office, giving her the opportunity to directly engage when employees ask about bug fixes, performing updates, or making new feature requests.

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy for a person in a data or IT role to be shoved out of sight,鈥� Christina said. 鈥淎rrow encourages you to explore your role鈥攜ou don鈥檛 need to fit a specific profile to be successful.鈥�

For Christina, that means building on what made her a standout student in the business analytics master鈥檚 program at Leeds; she earned her degree when lockdowns forced all classes to be online.

鈥淏ecause I'm an in-person type of person, I knew that if I was siloed from people, I wouldn鈥檛 do as well,鈥� she said. To combat the isolation of virtual classes, she co-led a virtual meetup that invited a host of industry guests to share their thoughts on the state of business analytics with students, as well as a forum for peers to talk about and overcome the challenges of the pandemic.

鈥淭he meetups were a great way to give students an inside perspective on analytics and where it might go鈥攁nd also develop a network of contacts in the outside world,鈥� Christina said. 鈥淏ut also, it was a way to let CU identify companies worth partnering with鈥攕o, talent inroads and an avenue for curricular updates.鈥�

Those relationships鈥攚ith peers, with faculty and with industry鈥攚ere a key reason Uhlir applied to the business an analytics program. It didn鈥檛 hurt that her father and sister had MBAs from 探花视频, and her mother was a member of 探花视频 campus administration.

鈥淐lasses gave me insights into data-level conversations happening in industry and the chance to engage with my professors and peers directly about the roles and company demographics that would best suit me.鈥�

Christina Uhlir (Neuro鈥�13; MSBA鈥�21)

鈥淒oing the MSBA introduced me to Arrow,鈥� she said. 鈥淐lasses gave me insights into data-level conversations happening in industry and the chance to engage with my professors and peers directly about the roles and company demographics that would best suit me personally and professionally. Doing a certificate would not have offered me the same industry exposure and support as I did with the MSBA, making the master鈥檚 degree competitive from a job placement perspective.鈥�

It鈥檚 a perspective that helped her land her job at Arrow after she held a variety of positions in analytics鈥攅verywhere from life sciences, to retail, to CU career development.

鈥淚n my conversations, I was able to explain what I learned at Leeds in a low-tech, conversational way,鈥� she said. 鈥淏eing able to do that was helpful when I interviewed with people not in technical roles, but it鈥檚 obviously critical for my work, also.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Why Leeds M.S. Business Analytics

When the pandemic sent all her classes online, Christina Uhlir built a community to keep her Leeds peers engaged.

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Harrison GreenMaki (MBA鈥�22)

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 17:15:35 +0000

Harrison GreenMaki (MBA鈥�22) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/09/2022 - 11:15

Senior Development Analyst, NexCore Group

Sometimes, when you鈥檙e a candidate for a job, you know from the moment the interview ends that you aced it.

Other times, you aren鈥檛 able to finish the skills assessment within the time limit.

That鈥檚 where Harrison GreenMaki found himself when he applied to NexCore Group, a developer in the healthcare space.

鈥淭hey asked me to create a financial model, which I was not able to finish in the allotted time,鈥� Harrison said. Rather than throwing in the towel, he presented the progress he鈥檇 made, then brought it home and continued working on it. Forty-five minutes later, he鈥檇 completed the exercise, 鈥渁nd apparently, I taught the hiring manager something he didn鈥檛 know about Excel,鈥� he said.

The team was so impressed that they allowed Harrison to start immediately in a part-time role, which he鈥檚 held since late March. After graduating from Leeds, he took a short vacation before beginning full time with the company鈥檚 financial analytics team, specifically in medical office and life sciences properties. His posting at NexCore follows a successful internship at North Mountain Partners.

Real estate is quite a transition from his previous role, as a leading petty officer in the U.S. Navy. There, he was responsible for command-level programs while onboarding, mentoring and guiding new aircrewmen. He also served as a rescue swimmer鈥攈e鈥檚 credited with one save during a tropical storm off the coast of Florida鈥攁nd a helicopter door gunner.

As he wound down his military service, Harrison kept an eye on his transition back to civilian life, which led him to Leeds.

鈥淣ot only was I coming to CU from out of state, I was coming from out of the country,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y MBA helped me get back into American culture while helping me create a network.鈥�

Harrison also served as president of the MBA Association: 鈥淚 absolutely bowed down to peer pressure鈥� after the members of his new network urged him to pursue the role. He鈥檚 also enjoyed making connections to his professors outside of class.

鈥淥utside of class, the professors are so willing to share knowledge and network with you, or even recommend a useful book,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a great thing about being an MBA student鈥攜ou can crack a beer open and nerd out with professors who are really damn smart.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Why Leeds Leeds MBA

Real estate is quite a transition for Harrison, who was a helicopter gunner and rescue swimmer with the Navy before coming to Leeds.

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