Michaela Joseph

Providence College School of Business

“Finance warrior, empowering communities with resilience, and courage, inspired by my Haitian heroines.”

Fun fact about yourself: I obtained my black belt in Karate and Mixed Martial Arts.

Hometown: New York City, NY

High School: Loyola School

Major: Finance

Minor: Political Science

Favorite Business Course: Principles of Marketing

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College: President of the National Association of Black Accountants (2022-Current); Vice President of the Afro Caribbean Club (2022-Current); Member of the Board of Programmers (2022-2023); Resident Assistant at Providence College (2021-Current) Mentor for Horizons (2021- Current); Tutor for First Generation Investors (2023-Current); PCCNY Scholarship Recipient 2020; Risk Management Scholarship Recipient 2023; KeyBank Leadership and Creativity Undergraduate Minority Student Symposium Attendee; 2nd Place Team for Case Study; Deans List (Fall 2020, Fall 2023)

Where have you interned during your college career? Sapere Aude Consortium, (Intern focused on wealth and investment management discussions and learning)

Bank of America Merrill Lynch (Intern in the wealth Management department in New York)

Where will you be working after graduation? Bank of America Merrill Lynch (Wealth Management Associate)

Who is your favorite business professor? Kevin McMahon. He has been a guiding figure throughout my time in the business school. He has taught me invaluable lessons about finance, but also demonstrated what it means to be a positive and ethical human being. He has inspired to continue to strive for success throughout my time here.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I’ve learned is being confident and networking. There are so many opportunities that can pass you by if you shy away from asking questions, and embracing being uncomfortable. My ability to step out my comfort zone and connect with others has been a catalyst for personal and professional growth.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Learn as much as you can and take advantage of every meaningful opportunity that comes your way.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? The importance of relationships and community engagement has surprised me the most. From the outside looking in, the business world can seem cold and closed off. As I navigate my way, I keep building great relationships with people I would’ve never expected to encounter.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? One thing I would do differently is start networking earlier and attempting to take business courses earlier. I spent two years of college on an undecided track. Even though the courses I took allowed me to broaden my education horizon, I would to have liked less of the six course semesters I took to catch up on my degree. While I’ve taken advantage of opportunities and built communities, networking earlier would’ve allowed me to get a head start on the different business ventures I’m interested in.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of my opportunity to lead diverse initiatives, such as the National Association of Black Accountants and the Afro Caribbean Club, to foster inclusion and empower students in the business field. My role in these leadership positions allow me to express and continue my commitment to diversity and leadership. These organizations have allowed me to build my confidence and have taught how to balance my academic commitments. I have gained invaluable skills from my roles.

Which classmate do you most admire? I admire Santiago Molina. He is an amazing student, with a strong drive and very personable. I have no doubts about his success in this world and his impact on others.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would like to pick my mom because she has been an outstanding role model in my life and is one of the strongest people I know. She came to America from Haiti at only 9 years old and has accomplished so much for herself and persevered to give me and my brother a better life.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?  I want to become a philanthropist and open a foundation that positively impacts communities and teaches financial literacy skills.

To obtain my master’s with honors.

What made Michaela such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024?

“Michaela (Kae) and I first met outside the Providence College incubation site for all great intellectual achievements – the school cafeteria called Ray’s. It was quickly evident to me that she was considering a finance major but, even as a freshman, she was equally interested in making this crazy world a better place. She was thus wrestling with whether these two endeavors were mutually exclusive. A few brainstorming sessions later it was I who was reconciling two thoughts – Kae was certainly destined to be CEO of a Fortune 500 financial, but she also has a tool kit to become the senior United States Senator from the State of NY. And no, with Kae Joseph’s charisma and talent, these are not mutually exclusive. Remember her name dear reader, there is no limit for this gal!”

Kevin McMahon
Assistant Professor of Practice in Finance

DON’T MISS: 100 BEST & BRIGHTEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2024