Neil Tanna

Balancing my education at the Harvard Extension School with a full-time job wasn’t just about time management. It was about finding synergies between my passion for learning and my commitment to growth.

I was leading projects at work during the day and diving into finance and data case studies at night. Those were the tough moments when I remained grounded in why I was doing it (and consuming the most amount of coffee). However, what helped most was staying connected to the experience, not just the coursework, but the people.

There’s a kind of energy you get from being in a room with others who are pushing themselves just as hard as you are. It elevates the entire experience and rekindles the hunger for more.

One of the most rewarding experiences was the on-campus classes, which I eagerly attended not because I had to, but because I wanted to connect with the community. There’s a kind of energy you get from being in a room with others who are pushing themselves just as hard as you are. It elevates the entire experience and rekindles the hunger for more.

I wasn’t just earning a degree: I was building a mindset and deepening roots with a new community. That mindset has shaped how I lead: with focus, empathy, and a deep respect for the people I’m learning alongside.

One of the most defining moments during my time at HES came during Dr. Marber’s course on emerging markets. The discussions around economic development, social equity, and global financial systems opened up something in me I hadn’t expected.

[The emerging markets course] was the moment when I could clearly see how my professional experience, my academic growth, and my values could align.

For most of my career, I’ve worked in consumer goods and advertising — industries that are fast-moving, brand-focused, and rooted in business strategy. But through the lens of that course and with my multicultural background, I started to imagine a broader way to apply what I know, using finance not just to grow companies, but to support communities.

It was the moment when I could clearly see how my professional experience, my academic growth, and my values could align. I left that course not only with a deeper understanding of global markets and inspired by Dr. Marber’s poetry, but with a clearer sense of purpose.

Since then, I’ve become more intentional about where I give my time, including volunteering initiatives with a global focus. It has changed the questions I ask, the projects I pursue, and the kind of leader I want to be. I’m eager to continue leading with intention for the future and scaling the valuable lessons from all of my courses at HES!

It means more than I had expected it to. When I started the program, I saw it as a way to grow my skill set, deepen my knowledge of finance, and push myself academically. But along the way, it became something much deeper.

I walk away not just with knowledge, but with a responsibility to lead thoughtfully, to contribute meaningfully, and to lift others as I go.

This degree represents perseverance through busy calendars, unbelievable support from loved ones, and conversations that spanned continents. It reflects the classmates whose stories challenged and inspired me, often told with laughter in more languages than I can count.

The choice each of my classmates made to join this program — most of whom are juggling careers, families, and more — is something I strongly admire. I intend to honor that spirit as an alum by advocating for access to education and lifelong growth.

This program, in particular, is a rare testament to the idea of learning for learning’s sake, for curiosity, for purpose, for action.

I walk away not just with knowledge, but with a responsibility to lead thoughtfully, to contribute meaningfully, and to lift others as I go. The Harvard name is an honor and a dream that many have growing up, and I’m proud of my peers and I to carry it forward!

Transformational