Elisa Cabrera ’25, is one of Eberhardt School of Business’s most dedicated students. Already pursuing her master’s in accounting with a minor in computer science, she took on many other opportunities that the school has to offer. She was the CEO of the Student Investment Fund, the public relations director of the Delta Gamma sorority, and vice president of marketing for the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. 

“First, I was a little overwhelmed,” Elisa recounted, “but as I got into it a little bit more, I realized that there’s a lot of deep thinking and a lot of knowledge that I can retain, that I can actually use for my own personal life.”  

Earning two degrees at once

Elisa is on course to receive her bachelor’s and master’s in accounting in just five years with Pacific’s dual-degree program. 

Pacific’s dual accounting degree fast-tracks your pursuit of a bachelor’s and master’s degree, while preparing you for the California CPA exam. Elisa took a wide variety of courses after enrolling in the program. 

“With the accounting master’s program, you’re taking managerial, accounting and a bunch of other accounting courses that may not actually be offered to you at a lot of other schools,” Elisa explained. “This can include taxes, auditing and a lot of other courses that can actually prepare you for the CPA exam.” 

Leading Pacific’s Student Investment Fund

While Elisa has been working toward her master’s degree, she was also CEO and the chief financial officer of the Eberhardt Student Investment Fund (SIF).  Elisa and the other SIF students manage an investment portfolio that is approaching $4 million dollars. In the 17 years since the SIF program began, Students were able to return $1.6 million of the fund’s net assets to the University in support of Pacific’s mission and activities.  

 As CEO, Elisa has been responsible for ensuring the class stayed on track, presentations were on time and that students were all familiar with analyzing financial data on the Bloomberg terminal. Elisa says the CEO position helped her land an internship with Bowman and Company, an accounting firm in Stockton. “It looks really impressive on a resume,” she said. 

Elisa says one of the most valuable experiences SIF students get is their annual trip to New York where they tour the financial district, including the New York Stock Exchange. 

“We were actually able to talk to investment bankers and see what their daily life actually looks like,” Elisa said. “So, it’s a great opportunity if you want to actually put yourself in the shoes of an investment banker.” 

Entering the world of finance

With graduation around the corner, Elisa is confident about the journey ahead. 

“I definitely want to take advantage of the knowledge being fresh in my head and passing that [CPA] exam,” she said. “On top of that, I’m also hoping to work full time for Bowman and Company, which is the company that I’ll be starting my internship for.” 

 Elisa credits her professors for helping her succeed at Pacific. She encourages other students to take advantage of the opportunities the university offers. 

“Don’t take the small class sizes for granted. With the small class sizes, you’re definitely able to reach out to your professors a lot more easily with a lot of larger schools,” she said 

Learn more about getting a bachelor and master’s in accounting in five years in Pacific’s Master of Accounting dual-degree program.

Hello, everyone! My name is Sahil Radadiya and I’m international student from Gujarat, India in my third year at Pacific studying finance and engineering. Over the summer, I received the amazing chance to intern at Northwestern Mutual, a prominent financial services organization.  

My tenure with Northwestern Mutual was a life-changing event that provided me with invaluable insights into the worlds of finance and asset management. Throughout the internship, I was exposed to a dynamic and collaborative work environment, which equipped me with the skills and information I needed to succeed in the field. 

In this blog post, I thought I’d offer you a glimpse at a normal day as an intern at Northwestern Mutual. It’s been a wild ride with new challenges and learning opportunities every day.  

7 a.m. – Get up and go 

I start my day with a healthy meal and a cup of coffee. Getting motivated for the day ahead is critical, so I like to look over my calendar and plan out my responsibilities. I use sticky notes to write everything out. 

8 a.m. – Morning prep 

Next, I go to my home office in Modesto, where I’ll be spending most of my day. I go through my emails, reply to any important messages and go over my to-do list. Setting priorities and mentally preparing for the day’s duties are essential. 

9 a.m. – Coaching session 

Our weekly coaching session is a fantastic opportunity for me to interact with my fellow interns and share our experiences and issues and learn from one another. Our mentor walks us through several scenarios and offers helpful advice. 

10 a.m. – Customer research 

After my coaching session, I work on creating a financial plan for a fictitious customer. Today, I’m delving into investing possibilities that correspond with the client’s objectives. I collect data, assess market patterns and begin putting together prospective plans. 

Noon – Lunch break 

It’s time to take a break! I have a healthy lunch and maybe go for a brief stroll to get some fresh air. It’s critical for me to refuel and clear my thoughts before returning to work. 

1 p.m. – Networking activities 

I spend the afternoon networking. I contact identified potential clients and send individual letters presenting myself and the services we provide. Networking is an important aspect of my career, and I’m learning how to approach it with confidence. 

3 p.m. – Meeting planning 

I have a client meeting tomorrow, so I spend some time getting ready. I go through the client’s financial objectives, gather pertinent information and produce a presentation to help guide our conversation. It’s amazing to see how my efforts are paying off in real-world interactions. 

4:30 p.m. – Skill development 

Before finishing up for the day, I devote some time to skill development. Whether it’s practicing financial modeling or honing my presenting skills, I’m constantly looking for methods to develop and expand my capabilities. 

6 p.m. – Wind down 

I formally close my laptop and leave the office. To maintain a healthy work-life balance, I spend time doing activities I love, such as meeting up with friends, reading or going to the gym. 

8 p.m. – Reflection and planning: 

As the day draws to a close, I consider what I’ve achieved and what I’ve learned. I note down any critical lessons and plan for the next day. Having a defined strategy allows me to hit the ground running the next morning. 

9 p.m. – Decompress 

Before going to bed, I decompress by watching a TV show, doing some mindfulness exercises or simply spending time with my friends. A good night’s sleep is critical to ensuring that I’m ready to face whatever comes my way the next day. 

That concludes my day as an intern at Northwestern Mutual! Every day has been a mix of study, networking, client encounters and personal development. It’s been a hard yet extremely rewarding experience.  

If you’re about to start an internship, my advice is to make the most out of your experience. Proactively learn, seek out answers to your questions and ask for more responsibilities. Be flexible by accepting new challenges and be willing to learn from both successes and failures.  

About the author

Sahil Radadiya

Sahil Radadiya is an international, first-generation student from India in his third year at Pacific, where he is studying finance and engineering. He is also Tiger Team Ambassador in the Office of Admission and an academic tutor at the William Knox Holt Library. Sahil hopes to become an entrepreneur and create and manage businesses with the goal of achieving financial success and making a positive impact on society.

Pacific’s Student Investment Fund class experienced the financial world first-hand when they visited New York City in March. They toured Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange. Students also met with seasoned investment professionals and learned what the day-to-day life of a financial analyst is like.

“It was something I always wanted to do, seeing the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve, and seeing all that in person. That was a really cool experience,” said finance major Jacob George ’23.

All students are in the Eberhardt School of Business Student Investment Fund. The class provides a rare opportunity for them to gain real-world experience in the U.S. stock market. SIF students manage an investment portfolio currently worth nearly $4 million.

Networking opportunity

While they were in New York, Pacific President Christopher Callahan hosted a reception at Bank of America Tower. That gave students the opportunity to meet with Pacific alumni who are finance industry professionals.

“The alumni reception at the Bank of America Tower was probably the most amazing experience of my college career, especially just being in New York, really getting to meet some finance professionals,” said marketing major Erin Brown ’23.

The students were also able to meet Pacific Regent Evan Dreyfuss ’86. His Wall Street Fellows endowment pays for SIF’s annual New York trip.

“[He] saw how important this was for the students to take all their skills, go to the financial hub of the world and participate in an exciting hands-on experience in New York City,” said Lewis Gale, interim dean for the Eberhardt School of Business.

Students also visited the investment banking firm, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. They spoke to analysts about their jobs and learned valuable job search insights. 

“We got a lot of take-aways, advice on how to do a better job as an analyst,” said finance and accounting double major Yiwen Shang ’22. “And that’s really a helpful resource when we are trying to enter our career path.”