Gabriel Falk ’27

After starting my career with a major USAID contractor, I joined a boutique consulting firm focused on private sector engagement in international development. There, I became interested in exploring development finance as a way of moving money from surplus markets like the U.S. to regions where it’s scarce.

Because I don’t come from an investment or finance background, getting an MBA made a lot of sense. I also thought the program was a good opportunity to take a step back and assess myself: What skills do I have? What skills do I need to make this pivot? Will I actually like the work I’m thinking about doing? Yale SOM, which is known for impact investing, was one of my top choices from the beginning.

The Meng Impact Investment Fund was an amazing learning experience for me. Through the curriculum and work, I gained a real understanding of impact venture capital (VC) work. Eventually, I realized that it isn’t the right career path for me, which was important for me to figure out before my internship.

Even though I decided not to go into VC, I still gained so much from the organization, which is why I’m now on the management team. I went from having zero finance knowledge to working on structuring a fund over the summer. I could not have done that without the Meng curriculum. As this year’s chief people officer, I’m really excited to be able to continue to build this fund for future SOM impact investors.

SOM’s integration with the broader Yale community has also been important to me. Many of my classmates are taking electives at the Yale Divinity School, the Yale School of the Environment, and across the university. Last year, I started editing for the Yale Journal of International Affairs, which was a great way for me to get exposure to the Jackson community as I was applying for a joint MBA and Master’s in Public Policy. There’s a great history of SOM students participating in the journal, and it’s been exciting to carry that on.

While my work is inextricable from the change that I want to see in the world, SOM has taught me that you can consider the broader social consequences of your work in any sector. I’ve met many people here who care deeply about social issues and are making sure their work aligns with their ethics, even if they don’t work for an explicitly “social impact” company. I’ve learned a lot from their perspective on how to shape their community in a positive way, regardless of job title or industry.