Student Profile: Betting on Finance

Lisa Howie '08
Summer internship: Merrill Lynch, Investment Banking Division
President, Finance Club

When I picture the person I was when I entered Yale SOM, it’s probably far from who I’ll be when I leave. I came from a nonprofit background, but now I’m in finance. I worked for Working Today in New York, which runs the Freelancers Union, which does health insurance and other benefits for freelance workers. I was in fundraising, which is mostly focused on getting grants and gifts. But I did some work starting a for-profit subsidiary, which got me into business planning. And I realized that what I like is the business part, the finance, strategy, and the way it comes together. I was drawn to Yale SOM because the school is really strong in finance and because of its tradition. It’s not just learning about banking here – it’s finance plus entrepreneurship plus the mission. It’s the realization that one way to effect change is by building the right kind of sustainable businesses.

I really like finance. I feel like I took a bet on finance when I entered school and it’s paying off. The curriculum really works for me. The first half of the semester was like boot camp, everything you would need to know going forward. I didn't have formal accounting training or anything like that, so it was good to get up to speed together, right away.

I’m the president of the finance club, which to me is funny since I feel totally new to this. It's a professional club, so a lot of what we do is job development and raising interest in finance and raising awareness of the range of jobs available.

One of the things I love about SOM is the commitment of its alumni. I’m interning this summer at Merrill Lynch. They have a really strong Yale network. They came to campus so many times. And now that we're all on board, they're sending people to do another session to help not just the Merrill interns but all investment banking interns. To give them kind of a what-to-expect-during-the-summer type session. They're really supportive.

But that’s the way people are at SOM. There is a sense here that if you put your mind to something, you can do it. And someone - whether an alumnus, another student, a professor or staff – is always there to encourage you. It’s practically part of the school’s mission.

Interviewed on April 18, 2007.