As different as they may seem, the worlds of reporting and real estate finance actually have a lot in common. As a markets reporter at CNBC, I covered the stock market and Federal Reserve through trade wars, the pandemic, and other “unprecedented” turbulent times. I reported on GameStop and the democratization of individual investing. And perhaps most important for my career pivot, I interviewed dozens of investment managers about their fund strategies and performance. In short, I got pretty sharp at breaking down individual financial stories within the bigger macroeconomic picture.
Although I had a solid understanding of the markets from CNBC, I applied to Wharton without formal business classes or training. But the more I talked with investment professionals, my colleagues, and, frankly, anyone willing to discuss my career path, the more I realized there was a real appetite for strong storytelling within the world of finance. My skills, they said, were critical for shaping investor communications about fund strategies. That opportunity intrigued me, and I saw Wharton as a chance to build the quantitative foundation and financial fluency I’d need to make my shift.
My mentors had told me that while business school can be a major pivot point, knowing what you want to do can focus the experience. My early acceptance to Wharton gave me the confidence to leave my job and take a pre-MBA internship at Blackstone, where I confirmed fundraising was right for me. At the School, my real estate coursework and programming through the Samuel Zell and Robert Lurie Real Estate Center helped me gain the quantitative skills I’d been seeking. Meanwhile, leadership roles in the Wharton Real Estate Club and the Penn Student Women in Real Estate group gave me invaluable opportunities to connect with companies and alumni.
While Wharton attracts talent from the world’s most prestigious financial and business strategy firms, I observed that my journalism degree uniquely prepared me to absorb all aspects of the graduate program. I feel blessed to have had the best of both worlds.
Those experiences, plus a summer internship in London at Starwood Capital Group, laid the groundwork for my new career. As an associate director at Core Spaces — a builder, buyer, and manager of student housing and other rental communities — I’m part of a team raising the firm’s fourth student housing development fund. I’ve found that another valuable reporting skill — listening — is crucial for understanding investors’ needs and building lasting relationships. The lessons from my early reporting days, paired with the analytical tools and perspective I gained at Wharton, have shaped the way I approach capital raising today.
Published as “A New Beat” in the Fall/Winter 2025 issue of Wharton Magazine.
