Caitlyn Lubas

New York University, Stern School of Business

“Filipina-Polish NJ native with a passion for understanding human connection and exploring global perspectives.”

Fun fact about yourself: I studied abroad 6 times across 5 different continents and visited all 7 continents in my 3.5 years of college!

Hometown: Oakland, NJ

High School: Indian Hills High School

Major: Business Administration, Concentrating in Marketing & Global Business

Minor: N/A

Favorite Business Course: Stern International Volunteers (Seminar on Social Entrepreneurship) with Professors Hans Taparia and Rachel Kowal

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work, and Leadership Roles During College:

1. Business Analytics Club President (2018-2020)
2. Tech & Entrepreneurship Peer Mentor (2019-2020)
3. International Business Exchange (IBEX) Executive Board Member & Exchange Student Ambassador (2019-2020)
4. NYU Stern Street Team Social Media Director (2019-2020)
5. Undergraduate Stern Women in Business Study Abroad Liaison and Mentor (2017-2020)
6. NYU $300K Entrepreneurs Challenge Grand Prize-Winning Team – Best Social Venture (2019)
7. Information Technology in Business and Society Teaching Fellow (2019)
8. Stern Program for Undergraduate Research – Marketing Department Research Assistant (2017)
9. Beta Gamma Sigma Lifetime Member (inducted 2019)
10. Dean’s List (2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020)

Where have you interned during your college career?

1. Facebook: Product Data Operations Strategy Specialist Intern – Menlo Park, CA
2. IBM: Global Social Media Brand Intern – New York, NY
3. NYU Stern: Business & Society Program/SIV Ghana Intern – New York, NY
4. JUV Consulting: Gen Z Marketing Strategy Consultant – New York, NY
5. The Recording Academy: GRAMMY U Campus Ambassador – New York, NY
6. Handshake Partners: Social Impact Partnerships Intern – New York, NY
7. BLADE Urban Air Mobility: Business Development & Brand Partnerships Intern – New York, NY
8. lightbox.: Experiential Marketing & Social Media Intern – New York, NY
9. RippleMatch: Marketing & Operations Intern –New York, NY

Where will you be working after graduation? Facebook: Product Specialist

What did you enjoy most about your business school? The global academic programs offered by NYU Stern have given me the incredible opportunity to experience life and business in different corners of the world from rural Ghana to historic Florence to innovative Singapore to culturally-rich Abu Dhabi to diverse Peru. These semesters and short-term immersions abroad not only helped me develop problem solving and communication skills, but also opened my eyes to first-hand instances of how business strategies, interpersonal customs, and consumer behavior differ in various cultural contexts. As much as I’ve learned from the incredible professors and interesting case studies within the walls of NYU Stern, it’s the elements of worldwide experiential learning that have helped me develop empathy and cross-cultural understanding that can’t be learned from a textbook.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Although the term “business” commonly conjures thoughts of finance and profitability, I learned that business is fundamentally about people. Whether it’s understanding clients, customers, or business partners, it truly is psychology and understanding the human experience that underlies so many aspects of business. Businesses become successful by solving people’s problems, so understanding people is the key first step. Business school has taught me how to be a more thoughtful, perceptive person which in turn makes me a better businesswoman.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? My best advice is to be your own unique self and carve a path that reflects your passions and interests. Take classes that interest you regardless if they align with a career path and do the things you love without worrying about how it might make you more employable. My internships, classes, and extracurriculars don’t quite align with any common path, but I was able to weave a story of things I’m passionate about. While some might be busy “checking all the boxes” and following a set path, your unique interests will set you apart and help make you more interesting, memorable, and exposed to rare opportunities.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? As a freshman, I took a course that involved a trip to Ghana to implement our business strategies with women in a rural village. Prior to our class’s involvement with the village, the women used to sit under a tree all day, not realizing that they had more potential if they could harness their creative skills. However, after we taught them the basics of marketing, accounting, and product development, they were able to create and operate their own sustainable batik fabric-making business – not only giving them a purpose and daily activity but also an ability to generate income for themselves. Having extra income makes it possible for their children to get fully educated and for the women to become economically independent. It really surprised me that, fundamentally, business is the core skill involved in creating economic value and it truly has the power to transform lives and spark economic empowerment.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? Being a Stern Peer Mentor was by far my most impactful, touching, and proudest experience since it gave me the opportunity to mentor over 150 different students – not only providing professional advice and mock interviews but also building sincere friendships between both upper and under-level students. Many of my mentees expressed that even just having another friendly face to say “hi” to in the hallways as a result of their Peer Mentor experience made their semester so much better. Giving back to the Stern community and seeing my mentees succeed in interviews and their college careers has made my heart feel so full.

Which classmate do you most admire? Michael Crawbuck is a classmate I admire dearly, not only for his intelligence but also for his commitment to his passions, his cheerful optimism, and his strong sense of pride in his identity. His speech during NYU Stern’s open house about finding himself and growing comfortable with his identity as a member of the LGBTQ community during his time at Stern brought me to tears. His unwavering commitment to forging a career that will not only fulfill his passions but make the world a better place constantly inspires me. Anyone who knows Michael knows what it’s like to be in the presence of a sincere, caring, truly wonderful individual.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? From a young age, I remember my parents constantly reading to me, encouraging me to indulge my curiosity about anything and everything, and telling me that there’s nothing I can’t do if I set my mind to it. Particularly, I remember my dad telling me that there’s nothing a boy can do that a girl can’t do; this early encouragement has definitely stuck with me through my pursuit of a career in the male-dominated tech industry. From giving me the foundational confidence that fostered my optimistic attitude to being supportive of my interest in global education, my parents are the main enablers of my success and I’m forever grateful for their support!

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? Publishing a book that encourages people to travel and get out of their comfort zones, and becoming a professor later in life to help nurture the next generation of responsible business leaders.

What are your hobbies? I’m an avid concert-goer who’s been to over 200 concerts and a travel addict with a lifetime goal of visiting every country in the world! My weekends are usually spent hiking, dancing, reading, and exploring new restaurants.

What made Caitlyn such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2020?

“Caitlyn’s pride in her school and community is loud and it’s infectious. Throughout her time at NYU Stern, Caitlyn has sought to take advantage of the school and the city that she loves so much at nearly every turn. She has studied abroad about as many times as anyone possibly could on nearly every continent. She’s been deeply involved in clubs and student organizations, holding positions of leadership and acting as a mentor to her peers. She is a team member of a start-up, Seastraws, focused on sustainable consumption.

For as much as she has soaked in all that our school and city have to offer, Caitlyn has given so much of herself to her community here at NYU Stern, too. She sincerely believes in making an impact, in being a mentor, in taking action—always with kindness and thoughtfulness.

In Caitlyn’s last two years, she served as a student ambassador for the NYU Stern, and this is the capacity in which I got to know her as her manager. And who I came to know is a person with an astounding amount of fearlessness. Caitlyn doesn’t just tolerate the unknown—she embraces it, chases after it, and models the value of doing so to her community. As an ambassador, Caitlyn was called upon to share her journey as an NYU Stern student to hundreds of prospective students. More than the fact that her journey has consisted of so many self-directed twists and turns in her time as a student, I am perhaps most consistently impressed by Cailtyn’s capacity for self-reflection—learning something at each one, taking the time to reflect on what they’ve meant to her, and articulating it all with passion and conviction. I can’t wait to see where her road leads next.”

Lendon Ebbins
Assistant Director of Communications

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