Marcela Laitano ’22

Growing up in Honduras, I learned to value and appreciate the simple things in life. My parents taught me to be generous and always give back to the community. This became something I wanted to pursue in the long run. But after working in finance for a couple of years, I wasn’t sure how to bridge the gap and focus more on economic development. Then, while pursuing my MBA, I was lucky to attend a Global Network Week where I learned about Yale SOM’s MAM program. It was the perfect fit. The flexible, multi-faceted curriculum, organizational perspective courses, faculty with industry expertise, and the exposure to a diverse student body was a great way to broaden my horizons and explore a way to bridge the gap between finance and economic development.

The MAM program has allowed me to acquire a new set of skills to take my career to the next level, and I’ve been able to tailor the program to suit my interests. Since I began with a solid understanding of business, I decided to focus my coursework on behavioral management, personal growth, and economic development classes, and to zero in on the society aspect of Yale SOM’s mission statement. Classes such as Mastering Influence and Persuasion, Interpersonal Dynamics, and Economic Policy in Developing Countries have allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and understand issues from different perspectives. As a global leader who aspires to work in an intergovernmental organization, having this kind of multidisciplinary exposure will benefit me in the long run.

Being part of the Economic Development and Social Impact Consulting clubs, as well as the Association of Hispanic and Latin America Students, has been a great way to connect with classmates, and the guest speakers shared industry insights that really enriched my learning outside of classes. The best part of being at Yale SOM has been creating this network of people and building strong friendships that will guide me going forward.