If you ever meet Johanna, the first thing you’ll notice is her persistent energy. Where she gets it from… well you’ll probably never know, because she’ll never have enough time to tell you. Embarking on her senior year here at USC, Johanna Eisenberg has been a Finance Scholar at Darla Moore School of Business since August 2016, but her achievements don’t stop there.This semester, she’s involved in CCPL (Changing Carolina Peer Leaders), Carolina Fund, FINA 363 peer tutoring, CFIA (Carolina Finance and Investment Association), and intramural basketball. If Johanna could be described in one word, it’s “tireless.” Her determination and hunger for success is what constantly propels her forward, never allowing her to turn around or lose progress. How does she keep up this fast-paced lifestyle here on campus? What does she like/dislike about it? Why should we all strive to be like her? Let’s find out.
Name: Johanna Eisenberg
Year: Senior, Class of 2017
Major: Finance
Hometown: Arlington, VA
HCSC: What do you think is your biggest motivating factor when it comes to excelling inside and outside of the classroom?
JE: The biggest motivating factor when it comes to excelling inside and outside of the classroom is knowledge. Getting smart, feeling smart, and the satisfaction of getting an A in a class that I worked so hard for. It’s something that I didn’t strive for in high school because I was more focused on sports than academics. Now that I am more academically focused in college, it’s empowering. I am the best version of myself when I am becoming more knowledgeable, and skilled in my field of study. I’ve always had this goal of investment banking, so getting as much information as possible out of my classes, internships, and college experience to prepare me for my future career… that is what keeps me motivated and striving towards success every day.
HCSC: What do you enjoy most about all of the organizations you are a part of?
JE: My favorite part is gaining hands-on experience, working with teams, developing leadership and time management skills. I’ve also have become more goal oriented, and I’ve what it means to put your heart and passion into something. I also enjoyed having the opportunity to meet so many people from so many diverse backgrounds through these organizations.
HCSC: Have you taken any opportunities to pursue an internship, if so, how many? Which one stuck out in particular?
JE: So far, in my college career, I have been in 7 different internships. The one that sticks out most to me is the retirement system investment commissions internship because I received the opportunity to do a lot of analytical work in excel, and it gave me experience in investment banking that I really need in order to be successful. This particular internship also had the largest learning curve for me, because it was my first internship in the finance industry. I learned a ton in a short amount of time, and I was also building a tool in excel which was pretty cool.
HCSC: What is your main objective in life, and how has everything you’ve done so far helped you take steps toward accomplishing it?
JE: I have a few objectives…
-My biggest dream is to change the way companies do business by altering the way they typically are run and restricting them to only doing things that are good for people (the consumers).
-I don’t want neighborhood with character get bulldozed over, I would like to protect neighborhoods with character from rising rent, so that local businesses can stay there. I would like to finance local businesses in those neighborhoods so that they can maintain that character.
-I also want to want to IPO (which is, offering a company to the public on south exchange for the first time) the first non-profit.
Internships in investment banking have helped me take steps toward doing all of these things.
HCSC: What are the pro/cons to having a full schedule?
JE: PROS: Always busy, most people think I’m crazy for say that but I love having a busy schedule because I know that I am doing things that are making me a more productive person and I am taking steps towards my goals every day, so to me it’s worth it.
CONS: I don’t balance my busy schedule too well, I have a habit of spreading myself too thin and that doesn’t allow me to take any time for myself. It also sometimes makes me choose between being productive and having relationships.
HCSC: What are your plans for after graduation?
JE: The specific bank that I will be joining after graduation in December is still up in air, but I know for certain that I will be going to New York City to pursue a career in investment banking. I have an internship in New York with Wells Fargo Securities this summer, so I’ll have a clearer idea when I get a full time offer.
HCSC: Would you say that everything you’ve done the last 3 years has given you an upper hand when it comes to applying for a job?
Yeah, without a doubt. I would be no where if I didn’t get involved in extracurricular activities or internships. Since I’m going for such a competitive field, it’s very hard to distinguish myself from not only the USC students, but students in Ivy league as well. I’ve gotten good grades, great internships, leadership positions, and networked like crazy because that’s what potential employers are looking for.
HCSC: What do you do on your free time (if you ever have any)?
JE: I get meals with friends, and that’s about it. When I get Friday or Saturday off, I usually enjoy watching Ted Talks or John Oliver.
HCSC: Any advice?
- Read a book, the few that I’ve read have made me into the person I am today.
- Talk to all of your professors and make sure they know who you are.
- Don’t take any summers off.
- TRAVEL, STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. Understand people, take interests in others.
- Take advantage of campus resources.
“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” -Willa A Foster