Ryan Lopez

Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University

“I uncover overlooked opportunities and bring the right people together to make bold ideas real.”

Hometown: New York City, New York

Fun Fact About Yourself: I once sweet-talked my way into the paddocks of Le Mans while studying abroad (I didn’t even know what the 24 hours of Le Mans were at the time).

Undergraduate School and Major: New York University, B.S. in Business; Concentration: Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: TY Danjuma Foundation, Healthcare Infrastructure Advisor

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Cornell’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The Roy H. Park Fellowship stood out as a true leadership lab. From speaking with second years and others familiar with the program, I witnessed how it brings together students with diverse leadership backgrounds in the military, nonprofit, government, and business sectors. The fellowship is providing an environment for us to learn from each other, reflect, and “sandbox” future strategies for leading organizations. One alum told me, “You won’t leave Park with all the answers, you’ll leave knowing how to face the questions that matter.” That’s the kind of growth I’m seeking.

What excites you the most about living in Ithaca and the Finger Lakes region? Fall colors, fresh air, and perhaps figuring out why the leaf-peeping obsession is so intense. Jokes aside, between Johnson’s academic rigor and traveling to New York City for recruiting events, it’s reassuring to know that the Finger Lakes region offers the perfect mix of nature and vibrancy. The surrounding nature provides an ideal environment for reflection, yet there are plenty of other activities in Ithaca that keep me engaged.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Cornell? The Investment Banking Immersion is a real game-changer. Friends of mine who are also going to recruit for investment banking are cracking open the BIWS 400 guide and YouTube in preparation. In the meantime, I’ll have a full semester working on live deals across equities, fixed income, and Mergers and Acquisitions.

As a kinesthetic learner, this immersion gives me real-time feedback while working on live transactions for an investment bank before entering my summer associate role.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2027? Why? I love creating opportunities for others. I’ve got a knack for reading the room, figuring out who brings what to the table, and nudging things forward without needing the spotlight. It’s why people trust me to lead even when I’m not the loudest voice in the group.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: After working at Macquarie and Marathon Petroleum, I shifted to advising NGOs and witnessed how strategic advisory could serve communities directly. Over the course of a year, my team helped secure infrastructure contracts across southern Nigeria. This led to over 100 miles of road construction and urban planning for new healthcare access. Whereas it would take some southern villages and communities over half a day round trip for healthcare services, we’ve now cut that down to nearly three to five hours.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful? It would be deepening my technical toolkit beyond modeling because finance is a creative industry after all. I could also add successfully leading initiatives with my fellow Park Fellows beyond the classroom and learning to fish on Cayuga Lake with future lifelong friends.

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