2017 Best & Brightest: Casey McClaren, Cornell University (Dyson)

Casey McClaren

Cornell University, Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management

“Forever wishing the rest of the world worked from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.”

Fun fact about yourself: I once won $1,000 playing bingo with my 97-year-old great-grandmother.

Hometown: East Aurora, N.Y. (near Buffalo)

High School: East Aurora High School

Major: Applied Economics and Management with a concentration in International Trade and Development

Minor: English

Favorite Business Courses: Global Business Strategy; International Finance Management; International Entrepreneurship; Spreadsheet Modeling

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

  • President, Dyson Undergraduate Council
  • VP marketing and communications, Senior Class Campaign;
  • Head teaching assistant, Introduction to Business Management (AEM 1200) and Business Management and Organization (AEM 2200)
  • international sector analyst, Cornell Current; senior member, Ellevate Cornell
  • Youth group leader, First Presbyterian Church of East Aurora
  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean’s list

Where have you interned during your college career?

  • Summer 2014 – Federal Bureau of Investigation; honors intern; Washington, D.C.
  • Summer 2016 – J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.; corporate summer analyst; Chicago, Ill.
  • Spring 2017 – Senator Charles Schumer; intern; Buffalo, N.Y.

Describe your dream Job: White House or State Department adviser on development economics initiatives.

Who is your favorite professor? Chris Barrett. He taught a business writing course and encouraged us to think critically about current global issues and fostered interesting and thoughtful in-class debates.

Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? Shelly Porges. She is a Cornell alum, and she has demonstrated that there is an avenue to being successful in business and also having a voice in policy. She started several of her own companies, then worked as an adviser in the State Department. I hope to forge my own version of that path.

Where would you like to work after graduation? J.P. Morgan, Corporate Analyst Development Program

What are your long-term professional goals? I plan to attain an advanced degree and continue to seek out roles that are stimulating and challenging in the realm of global economic policy.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Explore your career options early and broadly, and be confident in your abilities.

“I knew I wanted to major in business when…I visited Cornell for the first time and met other Dyson students.  I knew I wanted to be surrounded by such smart, driven, and interesting people for the next four years.”

“If I didn’t major in business, I would be…a philosophy major.”

“Before I entered business school, I wish I had known…that there are an infinite number of different paths you can take as a business major.”

What was the happiest moment of your life? The day I got accepted to the Dyson School.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? It would be being President of the Dyson Undergraduate Council during the creation of Cornell’s College of Business and having the opportunity to provide a voice for Dyson students on faculty committees to define the new College’s structure.

What animal would you choose to represent your professional brand? A giraffe, because I’m always willing to stick out my neck and take on new challenges.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My parents and family.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program?  That I was a great teammate and leader.

Favorite book: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Favorite movie: The Breakfast Club

Favorite musical performer: The Black Keys

Favorite vacation spot: Park City, Utah

What are your hobbies? Exercising, reading, snow skiing, water sports

What made Casey McClaren such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2017?

“Casey McClaren specializes in International Trade and Development in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. She is an active member of the student community, and served as President of the Dyson Undergraduate Council.  Under her leadership, they organized a Sophomore Networking Reception, a Senior Dinner, as well as bi-monthly coffee chats focused on specific topics of interest. Casey also worked to diversify the council and encouraged the members to think broadly about how to include the entire student body. Casey has a global view of the world, strong leadership skills, and a willingness to share her talents with the broader community.”

Cindy Lynn Van Es
Ph.D., Statistics
Professor of Practice
Director for Undergraduate Studies
Director for Business Inclusion and Diversity

DON’T MISS: THE FULL HONOR ROLL: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2017

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