How Harvard Extension School Changed My Career in Finance

I wanted to pressure-test my idea, find a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and thinkers, and grow my financial acumen. Harvard Extension School seemed like the perfect place to do all three. When I was accepted, I decided to make the move  to Cambridge, Mass., and go all-in on my start-up. Harvard was my opportunity to see if I had what it takes. I arrived guessing whether or not I belonged, and I left knowing that I did.

A Harvard Extension School Education

I majored in finance for my undergraduate degree and had worked in the field for 10 years by the time I came to Harvard, but the depth of Harvard’s courses still surprised me. The instructors are incredible — they made every class relevant to contemporary industry issues, applying financial methods and tools to real-world situations.

It wasn’t just the instructors who brought this real world to Harvard; the connections I made with my fellow students were just as significant. At Harvard, you might find yourself in class with a CEO, a VP, or someone with a job similar to the one you’re working toward. You also get to hear from people with direct experience of the concepts you learn about in class. 

For example, one of my courses covered issues in Miami real estate, and a classmate worked in that very field. This student was able to offer a boots-on-the-ground perspective to the rest of the class that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Harvard’s iLab, Connecting with Faculty, and Finding Opportunities 

Harvard gave me opportunities I wouldn’t have found anywhere else. Each year of my degree program, I attended a Harvard Business School (HBS) conference, and one year I connected with the dean. Not only was I able to introduce my start-up to him, but we even set up a time to discuss it further at a later date. I was getting business advice from, literally, the best business minds in the world. Harvard’s faculty are incredibly accessible — if you want to talk to someone, you can.

Opportunities at HES also showed me how to transform my business. Initially, I was building a consulting company to help small business owners understand and access loans. I was accepted into the iLab, Harvard’s start-up incubator, where I learned how I could transform my consulting business into a scalable, VC-backed tech business.

Although I closed the company, my time at Harvard’s iLab was critical to my career trajectory. At the iLab, I met with dozens of founders and provided financial guidance as they scaled their businesses. This experience ultimately led me to my current position at JP Morgan, where I work directly with founders as a vice president of startup banking. 

More than that, attending HES and working in the iLab gave me the confidence, network, and skills I needed to excel in this role. Attending Harvard is a big deal, and the power of the brand is very real — for good reason. When you say you went to Harvard or are enrolled in a program at Harvard, people look at you through a different lens. 

Harvard Extension School Career Outcomes

I didn’t come to Harvard to try to check a box or get a certain job; I came for the full experience. One of the best things I did was connect with an HES advisor. I told them what types of jobs I was thinking about, and they matched me with Harvard alumni working in those spaces. I met people working in my fields of interest, and it helped me find where I fit in the market with my skillset. 

Harvard gave me the skills, experience, and network I needed to step into my current role at JP Morgan. But Harvard also gave me what I’ll need in the next phase of my career. I’m still passionate about helping small business owners use debt, loans, and other financial instruments to grow their businesses. I believe it’s possible to both do good in the world and be a successful founder. When I dive back into entrepreneurship, I know my Harvard education and community will be a powerful asset in my arsenal.