Natalie Ionescu ’24

Economics major Natalie Ionescu ’24 chose Claremont McKenna College for its small, tight-knit community and alumni network. And though her first year was online, she was able to start building relationships, reaching out to alumni, and working toward her career goals.

“Joining the Student Investment Fund my freshman fall was truly life changing,” she says, “not only because I met some of my closest friends, but because it has also helped me decide which path I plan to take in my career when I graduate: investment banking.”

As an analyst on the materials and industrials industry group, Ionescu looks at companies in sub-sectors such as metals and mining, aerospace and defense, and logistics. “Analyzing financial statements, learning how to value a company, and creating a story about an investment idea are just a few of the skills I have been taught by upperclassmen on the fund, who have shaped my experience at CMC,” she says. 

The Scholar Communities have also contributed significantly to her professional and personal development. “I am truly blessed to be part of the Robert Day Scholar (RDS) Community and the Wagener Family Global Scholar Community,” Ionescu says. “The extent of the individual professional development from RDS is unlike anything I could have imagined, and I am truly looking forward to my study abroad this fall, which is one of the focuses of the Wagener Scholar Community.” She plans to study in Milan, taking advantage of her dual major in Italian studies with Scripps College.

She loves the culture at CMC, where “everyone celebrates each other’s accomplishments.” “Everyone has their own academic interests,” she says, “and it’s funny that only at CMC will you overhear a conversation at a party about the S&P 500 or about Aristotle’s appeal.”

This semester, she started a corporate finance course with Professor Murat Binay, who quickly became her favorite instructor. “Our first assignment was to write a few pages about ourselves,” she says. “With four sections of Corp Fin, it amazes me that Prof. Binay spent time reading our personal statements to get to know us.” He also encourages his students to think deeply. “He poses thoughtful questions that help students understand the lectures and grasp the concepts behind the ‘why.’”