Case Study

"I was born in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. But at the age of four, we moved to Spain, where I lived in Valencia for 22 years. I graduated from the Catholic University of Valencia with a degree in Financial Economic Management and worked in accounting and sales for a number of companies.

I moved to London so I could live and work in the financial capital of Europe. But I wanted to learn more. After a year and a half, I decided to go for my Masters in Finance. I chose the University of Sunderland in London for a few reasons, but I really like that it’s based in Canary Wharf. I love my profession and now I’m surrounded by companies that motivate me to succeed.

I was delighted to be offered the Masters I wanted to do. The application process is really simple and the staff help you through every step of the process. Our lecturers are so experienced. They’ve worked in multinational companies and researchers who’ve been exploring things I never could have imagined. 

When you first get here, you have an orientation day, which is great because you start feeling like part of the University family straight away. I usually feel like a foreigner in London. But people here are from so many different countries and there is so much diversity, I just felt at home.

Another reason I like studying here is the support you get. The Careers and Employability team have given me so much guidance with my CV and helped me improve my career prospects with courses and seminars. I feel more competitive as a professional.

It’s taken some time getting used to online classes since the lockdown started. Speaking over the computer about things like budgets is pretty weird. But the lecturers have worked so hard to make sure we get the same experience as we did when on campus. From day one I got information and tips on how to study effectively in quarantine. I think that’s why I’ve been able to keep on top of things through all this.

I’m not sure what the future holds, now more than ever. But I’m looking for jobs at the moment where I can put my MBA into practice. I’ve got short-term and long term goals I’ve set for myself and I think, now, I can achieve them."

If you want to follow in Michelle’s footsteps, take a look at the MBA Finance course page.