Major: Mathematics
Minor: Financial Planning
Why did you choose your major?
I chose my major because I always felt it was my strongest subject growing up and I enjoyed it the most. I also thought I wanted to go into data analytics and data science, or a career that involved more numbers. I chose to add a financial planning minor originally to get a background for my own personal understanding for life, and my parents also told me it could tie into mathematics.
Would you recommend it to a future student? Why?
I would recommend adding a financial planning minor even if you are not going into the field because it is information that everyone should know and understand for their adult life. I think it is very important to understand financial concepts in order to be more successful in life. I would only recommend going into mathematics if someone enjoys mathematics already. I think taking only math classes might be challenging for some people, and it might be harder to apply to broader careers. However, since being a math major is more rare, the students who are math majors get more attention because there are only a few of us in our classes.
What are your future plans?
I interned at a financial planning company in Hawaii the past two summers, so they offered me a position at their company after I graduate. I am working towards getting licensed to become a financial advisor, and I am going to continue working at the company I interned at after graduation.
Are there any particular experiences — in or out of the classroom — that have helped you identify that path?
Interning helped me decide what I wanted to do and helped me get a foot in the door pretty early in my college career. Getting experience is very important for getting job offers, so interning in my sophomore year of college helped me determine my career path that I want to try after graduation.