2023 Best & Brightest Business Major: Ava Rosen, Elon University (Love)

Ava Rosen

Elon University, Love School of Business

“A self-motivated, analytical, and curious leader addicted to cold brew and Philly sports.”

Fun fact about yourself: I studied abroad in Japan for three weeks and spent a night in the hospital from an allergic reaction.

Hometown: Yardley, PA

High School: Plymouth Whitemarsh High School

Major: Finance

Minor: Data Science

Favorite Business Course: Financial Modeling with Excel

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

  • Women in Finance – President
  • Zeta Tau Alpha – Treasurer, Vice President
  • Elon Business Fellow
  • Elon Odyssey Scholar
  • Business Economics and Finance Tutor
  • It Takes a Village Volunteer
  • Boys & Girls Club of Alamance Volunteer
  • Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Fraternity
  • Elon Microfinance Initiative
  • Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Circle
  • Phi Kappa Phi Society
  • Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society
  • Sigma Iota Epsilon
  • President’s List (all semesters)

Where have you interned during your college career?

  • Karalius & Associates Financial Services & Insurance LLC, Bala Cywnyd , PA – Financial Analyst Intern
  • Goldman Sachs, New York, NY – Sophomore Series Intern, Credit Risk Summer Analyst

Where will you be working after graduation? Goldman Sachs, Risk Analyst

Who is your favorite business professor? My favorite business professor is Dr. Kate Upton. Dr. Upton has not only been an outstanding professor, but a role model for myself over the last three years at Elon. She is constantly offering her support, both in-and-out of the classroom, and encourages me to push myself to new limits. Her classes are challenging and analytical, her teaching style is constructive and objective, and her enthusiasm is contagious.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Ask the questions that cut corners. In dealing with data and numbers, it’s important to understand the story driving the quantitative information. In creating this story, asking good, insightful questions that prompt a deeper understanding, a more curious narrative. Asking these questions will also allow you to stand out.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? What has surprised me most about majoring in business is all the different caveats that go into creating a concise and well-rounded business model. Coming into college, I really only thought about the finance and accounting aspects of business. Over the last 4 years, I have learned that there is so much more that goes along with the overarching umbrella of business: strategic planning, marketing, research and development, etc. It is invigorating to see all the parts working together, but also how they individually help build the model.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Looking back, one thing I would do differently in business school is take more well-rounded classes. In my four years, I mostly took classes pertaining to my Finance major. While this helped me learn the skills useful for my post-graduate career, I would have liked to take more classes in Entrepreneurship, Economics, and Marketing to better understand the inner workings of a business as a whole, and prepare for lateral moves I may have in my career.

What business leader do you admire most? A business leader I most admire is Barbara Corcoran. Barbara Corocoran is the epitome of overcoming adversity and learning from failure, as one of her most famous quotes is “All my best successes came on the heels of failure.” After failing 22 times, Barbara went the unconventional route and built her own $5 million business. Today, she is one of the most successful female leaders and follows a no-nonsense wisdom approach to life. I admire Barbara because she did not let her obstacles define her; instead, she learned from them and fostered a better life because of them. I would hope to leave a legacy similar to Barbara one day.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? It was being President of Women in Finance. In my sophomore year at Elon, I was presented the opportunity to take over as President of Women in Finance. The outgoing President cited my strong leadership and organizational skills, ensuring me that I would be a great fit for this role even at a young age. In this capacity, I was able to do what I love most: give back to others while cultivating a professionally adept environment for my peers. Above all, I value academics and professional development, and this role combined these values with my natural-leadership qualities. I am grateful to have impacted so many peers and help them find career paths that simultaneously challenge and excite them. Additionally, I am thankful to have met so many young female leaders and work to resolve gender issues in the business world.

Which classmate do you most admire? A classmate I most admire is Nicole Toler. Nicole encompasses a unique grit and determination in all she does, in and out of the classroom. She is persistent, hard-working, and brilliantly intelligent. As both a friend and classmate, Nicole is the first person to willingly help others, take initiative, and work towards what is best for the group. An incredibly selfless leader, I admire Nicole for what she does for others and how she accomplishes just about anything she puts her mind to, and her ability to make anyone laugh is the cherry on top.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? The person I most want to thank for my success is my dad, Howard Rosen. My dad passed away when I was 13 years old following a two-year battle against cancer. However, his passing was the ultimate catalyst for my best successes. Learning to overcome adversity at a young age, the hardship I faced taught me to have a tough backbone and never stop chasing my dreams. My dad was a widely creative man who had a niche for solving problems and critically analyzing situations. I saw this in his job as a restaurant manager and his love as a father and husband. Everything I have accomplished and everything I will continue to do is to make him proud and instill some of his skills in myself.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

  • Work in another country for 6-18 months, particularly in London
  • Move up to the CFO role of a boutique bank

What are your hobbies? Cooking, Reading, Yoga, Volunteering, and of course, enjoying a good movie night with my friends

What made Ava such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?

As the student representative for our school’s board of advisors she has enthused business leaders to engage more with our students and their work with our university. As a member of the Class of 2023, Ava has fundamentally changed the Love School of Business and Elon University forever by helping us all “be better.”

Kate Upton
Associate Professor of Finance
Director of the Reed Finance Center

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