Stephanie Jimenez

University of California, Riverside, School of Business | A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM)

“I am driven and passionate. You can find me at the nearest coffee shop.”

Hometown: Fontana, California

Fun Fact About Yourself: My favorite part of the day is when I drink my morning coffee.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of California, Riverside, Business Administration, Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Charles Schwab, Workforce Support Analyst

What word best describes the UC Riverside MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far? Diverse. I have met students from different walks of life and career backgrounds, so it has been interesting to hear about everyone’s experience and what led them to pursue an MBA. The diversity among the students is both professional and cultural. I have the privilege to be exposed to cultures that I have not encountered before, and I’ve learned about what has influenced my peers to think the way they do. This challenges me to think about how my culture and the way that I was raised influenced how I think and the goals I set for myself.

Aside from classmates, what was the key part of UC Riverside’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I completed my undergraduate journey at UCR, so I was exposed to and made aware of all the amazing resources and opportunities the school offers along with the welcoming, supportive environment. I knew I wanted to have resources, such as the Career Development Center for résumé and cover letter reviews and mock interviews to ensure I am prepared for my job search. The support I have received from the faculty has always been phenomenal, especially during the application process. Everyone I reached out to was always so welcoming and encouraged me to ask all the questions I had.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at UC Riverside? The course I have enjoyed the most so far has been Organizational Behavior. Lecturer Alexandru Roman makes it a point to make the coursework and class time engaging and interesting, and he connects each topic to situations my peers and I can relate to. The course is all about how people’s personalities, moods, emotions, job attitudes, power, and motivation impact the type of leaders they are and how they behave in a group or team setting. Organizational behavior has been an interesting topic to learn about because we dive into the psychological side of business that influences the cultures within firms that we may be exposed to once we join the workforce.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment in my career thus far was being a top performer within my department at Charles Schwab. I challenged myself to meet each metric on a daily basis so that I would be on track to meet all quarterly goals. Taking on this challenge and meeting it was important to me because I wanted to stand out and make myself known, especially since I was working in such a large company. I wanted to make sure that I was considered for any position openings that would allow me to learn more about the firm and/or move up within the company.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? My biggest accomplishment as an MBA student is the fact that I made it to graduate school. I was a first-generation college student during my undergrad years, and I am a first-generation graduate student. The beginning of both my undergraduate and graduate journeys were difficult because I really had no one in my family to turn to about any questions I had—with FAFSA or the other aspects of applying for college—because they didn’t know how to provide me guidance. I relied on my teachers in high school and the faculty at UCR to get the help I needed. I persevered because it was very important to me to accomplish the goal of getting my degree so that I could create a better future for me and my family. I also wanted to pave the way for family members who want to go to college. I was so gratified when my younger cousins came to me for advice and help with their college applications; because I had already been through it, they did not have to struggle as much as I did.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? My favorite hangout outside of school is home. I spend most of my time on campus so I’ll take any chance I can get to be home and decompress.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? Pursuing an MBA is a goal that I have had for myself for as long as I can remember. This was the perfect time in my life to go for it because I am pivoting from finance to marketing in my career. After graduation, I hope to secure a role in the marketing analytics industry. Based on my background and work experience, I believe marketing analytics is the best industry for me personally to develop professionally. Success to me means that I enjoy the work that I do, that I do not dread going to work every morning or count down the hours until my shift ends. I have experienced that before, and I know how draining it can be to be in a position where you are not happy. I have enjoyed all that I have learned about marketing so far in my marketing classes, and it’s an industry that I can see myself working within throughout my career.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE UC RIVERSIDE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MBA CLASS OF 2024