Santiago Briones Lopez

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business

“A lifelong learner passionate about building meaningful communities and helping others .”

Fun fact about yourself:  I’ve played guitar for over a decade, but somehow, I never learned to read sheet music. At this point, I think it’s more of a personality trait than a skill gap.

Hometown: Ridgefield, CT

High School: Ridgefield High School

Major: Business Administration

Minor: Environmental Studies, Artificial Intelligence Applications

Favorite Business Course: MOR 466: Business and Environmental Sustainability

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College

Extracurricular Activities

USC Consulting Consortium, Co-Lead: Led a joint venture between consulting clubs and Marshall to democratize access to consulting resources.

USC Marshall, Consulting Peer Career Advisor: Carried out over 100 one-on-one appointments to help Marshall undergraduates secure professional opportunities at top consulting firms.

Association of Innovative Marketing Consulting (AIM), Project Leader: Led a team of 5 student consultants to advise Waymo on their L.A GTM strategy for college students.

Latino Student Business Association, President: Led a 13-person leadership team to serve our 250-member base.

USC Admissions Center, Student Ambassador: Led campus tours to help prospective students navigate the competitive college admissions process.

McCarthy Honors Residential College, Finance Chair: Elected to manage a $10,000 budget for honors residential dorm.

Community Service

Scholars Leading Scholars, Mentor: Mentored four students from LAUSD to help them get into their dream universities

Trojan Scholar Society, Mentor: Mentored two underclassmen to navigate their first year of university

Awards and Recognitions

Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar and Student Mentor, Latino Alumni Association Mentor, USC Presidential Scholar

Where have you interned during your college career?

FTI Consulting, Los Angeles, CA: Corporate Finance & Restructuring Intern

Bain & Company, Los Angeles, CA: Building Entrepreneurial Leaders Intern

KPMG, Denver, CO: Financial Due Diligence Intern

KPMG, Stamford, CT: Embark Scholar Intern

Where will you be working after graduation?  FTI Consulting, Los Angeles, CA: Restructuring Consultant

Who is your favorite business professor? Professor Marco Aponte-Moreno (BUAD 497: Strategic Management): I admire him deeply for his deep expertise in strategy and his ability to incorporate improv — through his acting career — into management consulting.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? USC Marshall’s interdisciplinary education has taught me countless invaluable lessons.  However, the most important one I ardently believe in is the idea that business leaders are uniquely positioned to impact their communities, for better or for worse. As future business leaders, we must never blindly chase profit without seeking to positively impact the communities we’ve entrenched ourselves in. As I move forward in my career, I want to make sure that whatever I do, I’m leaving things better than I found them.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Always put yourself out there and help others as much as you help yourself. Business school can be a daunting place, but you’re able to break it into its digestible component parts by actively participating in the incredible communities it has to offer. If you actively invest in these communities, you’ll be surprised by how gracefully they’ll invest back in you.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? As someone who’s always asking ‘what if?’, it’s hard to pinpoint just one thing I’d do differently—but if I had to choose, I’d study abroad. I firmly believe that immersing yourself in a new environment broadens your perspective and strengthens your ability to adapt—two qualities that are invaluable in business and in life.

While I didn’t get the chance to study abroad, I know that my journey isn’t over. After graduation, I hope to work internationally, and I have no doubt that my career in consulting will take me to new and exciting parts of the world.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? USC Marshall has embraced AI’s rapid evolution. In nearly all my classes, professors encourage students to use it for what it truly is—a tool to enhance, not replace, human capability. Over the past few years, I’ve leveraged AI in ways both academic and personal, from generating structured study plans to curating a list of the best coffee shops in LA that I still must visit.

But while AI is a powerful enhancer, I believe we should approach its use with caution. When convenience turns into dependence, we risk outsourcing too much—critical thinking, creativity, and even the manual tasks that shape our learning. AI should support us, not substitute the skills that make us better problem solvers.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of?  My dad, despite a decorated career in management and marketing, has always measured success by the people he’s helped, not the titles he’s held. My mom, a seasoned executive coach, has reinvented herself time and time again—first as a consultant, then as a full-time mom, a preschool teacher, and now a hospitality manager at a retirement home. From them, I’ve learned that the real markers of success aren’t promotions or accolades, but the lives we touch and the ways we adapt.

That’s why my proudest achievement isn’t a title or an internship—it’s my impact. As a student ambassador, I’ve helped students find their place at USC. As a mentor, I’ve guided peers into their dream careers. And as a leader, I’ve helped build communities that will outlast my time in them. If I’ve made someone’s journey a little easier, a little clearer, or a little more possible—then I’ve done something worth being proud of.

Which classmate do you most admire? Daniella Echeverria is undoubtedly the classmate whom I most deeply admire. I met Daniella in my first year at Marshall’s Global Leadership Program. From the start, I was struck by her relentless drive and ability to push herself beyond her limits. In every class we’ve shared, she’s consistently pursued excellence with a tireless work ethic that sets her apart.

Beyond academics, I admire her for her innate leadership and character—she has a magnetic presence and the rare ability to command a room with both confidence and authenticity. What impresses me most, though, is her resilience. She has overcome unimaginable challenges with sheer willpower and an unwavering sense of self, a quality that every aspiring business leader should strive for.

I have no doubt that she’ll continue to make an impact at JP Morgan’s Private Bank, where she’ll not only demand excellence from herself but inspire it in those around her.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I owe my success to my parents—two self-made individuals who, through sheer dedication and hard work, overcame their circumstances and uprooted their lives in Mexico to give my brother and me the opportunities we have today. Their sacrifices, resilience, and unwavering belief in us have shaped everything I’ve accomplished.

To my parents: thank you for everything. And to my little brother, Juan Pablo—thank you for teaching me what it means to be a mentor. You inspire me every day to be the best version of myself.

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

1. Travel the world and establish global roots
2. Build something tangible that will outlast my time here

What made Santiago such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?  

“Santiago Briones has been an invaluable member of the USC Marshall Class of 2025, exemplifying leadership, service, and academic excellence. A Presidential Scholar and top-performing finance student, he has not only secured prestigious roles at Bain, KPMG, and FTI Consulting, but has also dedicated himself to uplifting his peers. As a Peer Career Advisor, he has guided over 60 students into top consulting firms, while his leadership as President of the Latino Business Student Association increased membership by 60%. I came to know Santiago through his proposal to create a consortium of consulting clubs in order to increase access and inclusion across the entire Marshall student body.  As co-founder the USC Consulting Consortium, he was instrumental in breaking the barriers students from all backgrounds have had in gaining exposure to the consulting field.  Santiago’s impact on Marshall will endure far beyond graduation.”

Maureen McHale, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean & Director
Undergraduate Advising and Student Affairs

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