A Community For a Better Tomorrow

I came to Columbia’s JD/MBA program for the sole purpose of tackling today’s most pressing economic and environmental issues through impact investing and social entrepreneurship. I believe a more sustainable future begins with both supporting existing marginalized communities and exploring innovation in traditional business models — to that end, the Mosaic Fellowship was an invaluable opportunity to connect with the wider impact investing community as well as learn from leading practitioners.

With a background in traditional finance, my goal in graduate school was to sharpen my existing analytical toolkit to better understand how cutting-edge financial innovation can be a force for positive social change. After working part-time at other impact investing organizations and ICM member funds, my summer as a Mosaic Fellow was an opportunity to dive deeper into the process.

Impact America Fund was my top choice because the team addressed impact in a way that thoughtfully recognized systemic inequities and sought innovative ways to address them. The day-to-day consisted of pitches from founders, due diligence analysis, desk research on new investment theses, and standing meetings with the team to review pipeline opportunities and portfolio management. Every member of the fund included me in the decision-making and analytical process, and my summer experience ultimately taught me how to better invest with multiple frames of reference.

The Mosaic Fellowship cohort was an essential source of community throughout the summer, especially considering impact investing is still often an emerging discipline in graduate school. Meeting like-minded students from across the country served both as a source of inspiration and a network of friends, and mentors throughout the program provided invaluable career advice. Throughout, the ICM team facilitated a thoughtful and rewarding experience that has lasted far beyond the summer. Impact investing is ultimately driven by individuals who care deeply about the world around them, and I’m grateful to continue learning from today’s leaders in making a better tomorrow a reality.