My name is Cindy Gallin and I am a 31 years old business professional. Originally from New York, USA, I was previously working in FinTech as a product consultant before deciding I didn’t see my career developing at the pace I wanted. I also felt like my knowledge base on the fundamentals of running a business was quite limited, and I wanted to fast track myself to general management. An MBA seemed like the obvious choice.
My criteria for an MBA were quite specific: an internationally diverse, small class where both my professors and my peers would be my teachers. I wanted a school that was sufficiently well connected with recruiters and ranked as a top 10 program so I would have the best chance of successfully making the “triple switch.” SDA Bocconi met all my criteria.
The program did not let me down. SDA Bocconi delivered on building a diverse group of 100 talented candidates, a quality education, and a strong network of companies from near and far. The experience changed my life in that it taught me the power of my own voice and ideas, and with a bit of coaching from colleagues and professors, I could tackle any business challenge put in front of me.
While the learning may have happened in the classroom, much of the growth came from what was experienced outside the core curriculum. One particularly enlightening moment was when approximately 40% of our class travelled to Barcelona for an intra-MBA sports competition. I was on the women’s soccer team, and despite a small squad and numerous injuries, we made it to the finals against schools 10x our size. Despite the setbacks, we had the talent, tactics, perseverance, and heart to push to the final. That moment taught me what it means to be committed, drive for excellence, and think of roadblocks as opportunities to find a better path. These are lessons that have been exceedingly helpful in my post MBA career.
Now I can proudly say that I have made the coveted triple switch, using SDA Bocconi as my pivot point. I am currently a Commercial Excellence Director at a global security firm, and I have also been a member of the Executive Committee for the past 18 months. I am based in Milan but I manage a global team and get to lead interdisciplinary projects I could have only dreamed of being a part of 5 years ago. I have a direct impact on the efficiency and profitability of the company. I have also been able to pay it forward to SDA Bocconi by offering employment to 4 MBAs in later intake classes.
I wouldn’t change a thing.
Cindy Gallin
- American