Learning Finance and Marketing in Action

Daniela Hernandez

Class of 2023

Currently Studying: BBA in Finance

Member Of: Student Government Association, Center for Student Enterprise

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Meet Daniela, an incoming Lubin Ambassador for the Student Government Association (SGA) on our Pleasantville Campus. This Bronx native is pursuing a major in Finance and has been very involved on campus. By taking advantage of our experiential learning opportunities and becoming a Pace Tour Guide, Daniela has learned everything there is to know about Pace. She is ready to take on the challenge of advocating for the Lubin student body with SGA.

Why did you choose Pace University and the Lubin School of Business?

I chose Pace University for the dual campus experience. Coming from the Bronx, I knew that I wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for my college years, but I also knew that I would have great access to many opportunities for my future career in finance in the heart of Manhattan.

You have been a Research Manager for Pace Connect, one of our student-run businesses on campus which acts as a research and call center, since your first semester at Pace. Tell us a bit about that professional experience.

As a Research Manager, I have strengthened a lot of skills for my resume. I have been able to gain real life experience that I will further carry into my future career, such as learning how to efficiently complete phone calls with clients and employers. Dr. Kathy Winsted, our advisor, is always teaching me new things about data and research: from creating tables and graphs to effectively writing an executive summary for our data reports. Since I have taken over as Research Manager for Pace Connect, I am finding new ways to improve our student-run business. Being able to do this for our community at Pace gives me confidence that once I graduate I will be able to do this for my future business or employer.

You are also on the Pforzheimer Honors College's Programming Committee on the NYC campus. What have you learned from that experience so far?

Despite all the stress and hard work that goes into the time-consuming process of planning on-campus events, I genuinely enjoy having an idea and being able to make it come to life with support from my team. In the Fall of 2019, my favorite event to help plan was "Harry Potter Movie Night." I loved to see how everyone on the Programming Committee transformed the creative ideas we brainstormed together into a reality. Event planning has taught me how to use limited resources in a creative way and how to make an every-day lecture hall look like a Hogwarts classroom. I found that the challenges that we overcame along the way made event planning fun and exciting! Under high pressure and fast paced circumstances, we are forced to come up with inventive and new ways to work around the problems we encounter.

As a Research Manager, I have strengthened a lot of skills for my resume. I have been able to gain real life experience that I will further carry into my future career, such as learning how to efficiently complete phone calls with clients and employers.

You are a tour guide at the Welcome Center. How has that experience transformed your life on campus?

The Welcome Center has given me a sense of family here on campus. I have coworkers and managers that truly care about me and how I am doing. As the COVID-19 pandemic impacted so many of us, our managers made sure to check in with us to ask what our work from home environment was like. They also asked when we could work or when we needed a day off. My coworkers would check in with me and Zoom meetings allowed us to maintain our normal sense of community while wishing we were all back together. The Welcome Center is more than just a stop on tours for prospective students; it is one of the places that solidified my love for Pace.

Do you have any advice for other Lubin students looking to get involved on campus?

Don’t be afraid to apply for a position with the student-run businesses! Maybe you feel like you don’t have the right experience on your resume yet, or maybe you’ve never even had a job before, but don’t let that discourage you! Working for Lubin’s student-run businesses isn’t an evaluation of your knowledge, it’s help for your career growth. When it comes time to settle down and find your career you will already know what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing. Explore each part of the business and discover what makes you happy.

What motivates you to work hard?

My parents motivate me to work hard. Seeing the life that they have provided for our family and how they came from humble beginnings to make it to where they are today shows me that through hard work and dedication, I too can be just as incredible, if not better than them.

What does #LubinLife mean to you?

To me, #LubinLife is getting real world experience and becoming a future business leader—all from the safety of the Pace University campus. Thanks to the student-run businesses, so many of us can find out what we love to do and how to do it well.