Cal State Fullerton business students are reaching high in their professional and academic careers. From the C-suites of companies across all industries to Big Four accounting firms to world-renowned Ivy League schools.

This spring, Laura Romine, a CSUF finance grad, earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. She also recently began a senior management role in sustainability-focused financial services.

Romine shared her experience with us.

What Was It Like Attending Harvard and How Did Your Cal State Fullerton Undergrad Experience Prepare You?

The MBA program at Harvard Business School provides a strong foundation in general management and the first year is entirely focused on required business curriculum. In my second year, I chose electives focusing on entrepreneurial management, venture capital, sustainability and social enterprise, since I wanted to learn more about founding and investing in early-stage companies.

One of the highlights of the program was meeting my classmates who were also passionate about solving problems and building sustainable businesses.

CSUF prepared me with a strong understanding of business. Many of the courses I took at Harvard covered similar concepts to those I took in my undergrad, such as accounting, finance, marketing, and operations management, with the addition of some new concepts and the depth of the experience of my fellow MBA students to help round out my understanding.

Harvard Business School employs the case method, which puts you in the driver’s seat of each case, evoking a sense of ownership around decision making and preparing you to lead in your post-MBA career.

My previous work experience at PIMCO in product strategy covering credit and ESG portfolios also helped set me up for success and gave me the opportunity to guide classmates interested in asset management.

What is a Typical “Day in the Life” of a Harvard MBA Student?

My days would begin with a quick coffee run and then a few classes in the morning and early afternoon.

After class, I would grab lunch on campus with friends or slip back to my on-campus apartment for a quick bite to eat and recharge.

Often, there would be events hosted on or off campus, such as an interesting speaker or a club networking happy hour, which were great opportunities to meet new people with shared interests.

I also worked part-time, taking internships at early-stage venture funds, so I would put in some work hours or spend time catching up on personal administration such as planning my schedule and reaching out to classmates for a coffee chat.

Dinners could be spent off-campus with friends or hosted at one of our apartments, with many students generously willing to share their talent for cooking with the group.

In the evenings, I enjoyed getting in some exercise at the gym or yoga class, followed by meditation and late-night case prep.

What Advice Would You Give to an Undergrad Business Titan on How They Can Prepare for Success in Life, Career or Further Education?

Do some soul-searching. Spend time figuring out what type of work you want to do, that you enjoy and that you are good at.

This could be gathered from your current work experience or through talking to friends or connections about the work they do.

Think through your long-term goals and the broader impact you’d like to have in your career. Nailing down your core interests and values will be so helpful as you need to make decisions and prioritize going forward.

For pursuing an MBA, one of the most useful pieces of advice I received was to know what I wanted to get out of the program.

As I worked on my application essays over summer 2020, I reflected on my past experiences and what I wanted my life to look like going forward.

I knew a priority for me in business school would be broadening my network and keeping myself open to new experiences, which allowed me to gain a much broader perspective and think bigger picture.

Learning different ways of approaching problems widened the scope of my mental decision-making framework, from focusing on making the “right” decision to thinking through each path forward and its outcomes and impacts.

What Are Your Career Goals and Dream Job?

My career goal is to direct capital in a way that creates a more sustainable and inclusive society. I was fortunate enough to begin my career at PIMCO, which provided a strong foundational understanding of credit markets and how ESG and climate factors are incorporated at an asset manager level.

I am currently a senior manager on the finance team at a climate finance company accelerating the flow of capital into nature-based carbon solutions to help enterprises, consumers and investors meet their climate goals. I am enjoying this opportunity to focus on work that is delivering meaningful impact to communities, as well as creating solutions and driving innovation in the climate finance space.

I am excited to continue learning and growing in my career and lifting up others who are interested in finance or climate work – it’s all hands on-deck!

Laura Romine graduated in 2017 with a degree in finance. During her time at CSUF College of Business and Economics, she was a member of the Titan Capital Management investing program, in which students manage a multi-million dollar stock and bond portfolio, the proceeds of which go to support student initiatives like the college’s tutoring center.