Ciara Curran
Loyola Marymount University
“Always on the go inside and outside the classroom, Monster energy drink in hand.”
Fun fact about yourself: I am a first degree black belt in karate and practiced for a decade.
Hometown: Yorba Linda, CA
High School: Yorba Linda High School
Major: Accounting
Major (2): Marketing with a concentration in Advertising
Favorite Business Course: Advanced Accounting
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:
Academics & Honors
- Awarded Presidential Scholar & invited into the Honors Program upon admission
- Dean’s List: Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023
Extracurricular Activities
- Deloitte Audit Innovation Campus Challenge (AICC) participant, Fall 2022
- Christian Life Community member since Fall 2021
- Monster Collegiate Ambassador since Fall 2023
Leadership Roles
- Served on executive boards in various roles
- Delta Zeta Sorority
- Spring 2023: Health & Wellness Chair
- Lion Investing Society
- Fall 2022 – Spring 2023: VP of Communications
- Fall 2023 – Spring 2024: VP of Marketing
- Fall 2024 – Spring 2025: Vice President
- Accounting Society
- Fall 2023 – Spring 2025: VP of Marketing
- Delta Sigma Pi, a professional fraternity
- Spring 2023: inducted as a general member
- Spring 2024 – Fall 2024: VP of Finance
- Delta Zeta Sorority
Where have you interned during your college career?
- Sodexo: Spring 2022 – Current
- Los Angeles, CA; Marketing Intern
- Los Angeles Loyolan (School Newspaper): Spring 2022 – Fall 2022
- Los Angeles, CA; Copywriting Intern
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC): Summer 2023
- Orange County, CA; Start Intern
- Deloitte: Summer 2024
- Orange County, CA; Audit and Assurance Intern
- Glenair: Summer 2024
- Los Angeles, CA; Accounting & Operations Intern
- ExitPoint Partners: Spring 2025
- Los Angeles, CA; Analyst Intern
Where will you be working after graduation? Glenair; Tradeshow Specialist
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Every part of a business (whether it’s marketing, accounting, finance, operations, supply chain, etc.) needs each other to be successful. Sometimes, it feels like everyone in the business school argues that their major is the most important, but what I’ve found through my internships is that every discipline relies on each other to make things happen. When I first started studying accounting and marketing, I couldn’t see how the two, which felt like complete opposites, could connect. However, I discovered that they’re like a yin-yang: accounting is the language of business, while marketing is the language of consumers. They are total opposites but completely interdependent. You need both to actually make a business run.
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? It might be biased, but I truly believe that if you’re majoring in business, you should at least minor in accounting. I can’t emphasize enough how valuable it is to look at a financial statement and be able to understand what’s going on with a business. Right now, the new American dream is on the horizon: people want to start and own their own companies. I do too, and that’s one of the reasons I chose accounting.
I originally started off as a political science major, but when I decided to switch to business, I had no idea what to study. I asked a professor for advice, and he asked me what I wanted to do. I told him, “I want to run my own business,” to which he replied, “Well, if you want to run a business, you need to know how to read the books, so you should major in accounting.” Choosing accounting was hands-down the best decision I ever made. It’s a skill that is difficult but will serve you no matter where you go, whether it’s in a traditional corporate setting or in entrepreneurial endeavors.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? One thing I definitely would have done differently is sitting in on more classes, particularly the finance classes. I didn’t have room in my schedule to officially sign up for the credits, but there were so many brilliant professors I could’ve learned from, whether it was learning about valuations, investment banking, or learning how to code in SQL for marketing research. As I went deeper into accounting and began learning about M&A and hedging, I developed a stronger interest in finance and wish I had taken advantage of the talent in the business school during my free time. Exposing myself to different disciplines beyond just accounting and marketing would have been incredibly valuable, and I know I would have enjoyed learning about other areas of business.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? Surprisingly, I actually use AI a lot in my marketing classes. Whether we’re editing videos, photos, creating presentations, or making quick mockups, we use AI in all stages of the creative process. For example, in Adobe Illustrator, if we want to add an oak tree in the background of an image to fit a brand’s visual identity, we can just type “add an oak tree in the background,” and AI will generate it for us, saving us more time had we manually edited it in. What I really appreciate is that our professors encourage us to use AI. It wasn’t to replace our own creativity, but to help us execute ideas faster, something that is becoming more important as social media marketing is increasing demand for content.
Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? The achievement I’m most proud of is running my first half marathon. Growing up, I was completely against running. I’d only sprint for sports, and I much preferred lifting weights since that’s what my body was used to doing. This past summer, my friend challenged me to run a half marathon with her, and I had no idea where to start. I had barely ever run a timed mile on my own accord, let alone 13.1 miles. The idea of it was terrifying. However, I’ve learned that the things that scare me most are usually the things I need to go for. So, with just eight weeks to train, I did what I could. On the morning of October 6, I showed up at 6 a.m. in Long Beach with my friend, ready to give it everything I had. To my surprise, I ran the entire 13.1 miles nonstop. It was a powerful moment for me—not just because I finished something difficult, but because I proved to myself that I was capable of more than I thought. In my mind, I couldn’t run 13.1 miles, but I did it anyway. It was a huge lesson: although it might seem impossible, so long as I put my mind to it, I really can achieve anything.
Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire most is Lynn Mwongela. I first met her during my sophomore year. Right away, I noticed how she carried herself with conviction and confidence. There’s a saying that you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with, and I’ve been lucky to have her in my circle. Through our work on the Accounting Society executive board and befriending her, I’ve seen firsthand how prepared, driven, and intentional she is. She’s a strong leader who knows when to take charge and when to step back and let others lead. No matter what, she puts in 110% effort, and that’s something you don’t see in everyone. She has always been someone I can count on for advice and one of those people who genuinely pushes others to be better, something that’s rare nowadays.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? The person I want to thank the most for my success is my mother. She immigrated from the Philippines in the 1970s when she was just four years old, arriving with nothing but the clothes on her back and not knowing a word of English. Growing up, she told me stories about the racism and harsh comments she faced in elementary and high school. Despite it all, she pushed through, putting herself through college and earning her nursing degree. She went on to build an incredible career that spanned two decades before making the difficult decision to stay home in order to raise my sister and me.
What stands out most to me is the kind of mother she is. I can’t remember a time when she wasn’t there. She showed up for everything—karate practice, volleyball games, ASB events, church, early mornings making breakfast, driving us to school, volunteering at our elementary school, and everything in between—all while running a household with grace and poise. She’s also been my biggest guide in life. When I doubted myself, when I was bullied for my appearance, she was the first to stand up for me and remind me that I was capable and beautiful.
On the other hand, she made sure to hold me accountable. If I was slacking or not doing the things that would push me toward my goals, she was the first to call me out. And on top of all that, she’s one of the funniest people I know! Whenever she tells one of her stories, the entire room goes silent because everyone wants to hear it. But the silence doesn’t last long—within seconds, she has everyone cracking up with tears in their eyes. My mother is truly an extraordinary person, and the best compliment I could ever receive is when people tell me, “You’re just like your mom.”
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? My top two items on my bucket list are the following:
1) Create my own talk show where I help people become their best selves professionally, personally, and financially.
2) Meet and interview Scott Galloway, a marketing professor at NYU Stern; Scott Galloway has given great advice for the next generations on how to become successful, despite the financial situation we’ve been given.
What made Ciara such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?
“The Class of 2025 is a great class, and Ciara is an invaluable addition who contributes to academic excellence, leadership, mentorship, compassion, and enthusiasm for life. Ciara has the heart of an LMU Lion and lives the LMU mission as a woman for and with others. She is a leader in many campus organizations, including the Accounting Society, where she brings a creative perspective and a can-do attitude – mixed with problem-solving skills, care and support for her peers, and a great sense of humor. Ciara is quick to jump in when needed, whether to help organize a study session, create social media posts to market student organization events, represent the accounting department at College of Business Administration events, or interview a CFO to ask the questions college students want to hear. Ciara is also a leader in the classroom, asking thoughtful questions, engaging her peers, and promoting positive energy in every class session. Ciara is a dynamo with a bright future ahead!”
Nancy Coster
Clinical Professor of Accounting
LMU College of Business Administration
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