Stephanie Mellert

Ask More of Business

The Notre Dame Institute for Global Investing truly emphasizes Mendoza’s mission of “Ask More of Business.” Through various lectures, classes and conversations with professors, NDIGI encourages students to explore alternative investment options such as impact investing. By partnering with student run organizations such as Unleashed Social Ventures, NDIGI provides students with opportunities to put to practice what they learned in the classroom. Moreover, NDIGI has taught me to understand the consequences that an individual’s investment has on a continuously globalizing world. For me this had a deep impact because it meant that I analyzed both financial and social returns on an investment and led to questions such as: Is it morally responsible to invest in a defense company? Through the broader lens that NDIGI has afforded me I believe that I can wholeheartedly ask more of business as I enter the workforce.

The Role of a Strong Alumni Network and Paying it Forward

I came to Notre Dame with a strong interest in Finance, but had to decide between a career in investment banking, sales and trading or wealth management. NDIGI’s strong alumni network and culture of giving back provided me a plethora of upper classmen, recent graduates, and fundamental alumni to speak to. These individuals expressed their passions, paths and significant advice, which ultimately guided me to my present job in investment banking. After deciding upon my career track, NDIGI’s network provided me with countless students who dedicated many hours to helping me prepare for interviews. These students and alumni have been fundamental in determining my career path. The Institute has instilled in me the desire to help future students navigate their potential career paths. NDIGI has taken a competitive landscape, such as Finance, and transformed it into a collaborative network of alumni and students.