Wren ’23 Boosts Skills Preparation Through Harvard, Dartmouth Business Programs – News

Qian Ren ’23 knows the value of a liberal arts education. An environmental studies and economics double major, she has developed interdisciplinary skills that she hopes to use in the field of climate finance. According to the United Nations, this new field aims to support climate action by drawing on public, private and alternative funding sources. But before entering the profession, Ren has set her sights on an MBA to increase her readiness for the career that awaits her.

Over the summer, between her Morgan Stanley internship, she took the first step toward this goal by participating in two business programs, one at Harvard and another at Dartmouth. “Climate finance requires you to take a big view in order to solve the big questions,” Ren said. “I think the business world will help me strengthen that skill.”

In both programs, Ren learned from top-notch professors; However, the two programs differ in academic focus. Harvard Business School’s Summer Ventures in Management program taught participants through the case study method. Through reading business situations, Ren has developed an eye for problem solving and creative solutions. The Dartmouth Tech Business Bridge program emphasizes introductory business skills for undergraduate STEM and liberal arts students. The courses underpin the MBA curriculum, from marketing techniques to corporate finance to business ethics, and culminate in a group capstone project.

“I realized that a liberal arts education is just as important. I was given the ability to think outside the box, think deeply about the world and question everything around me.

Through these experiences, Ren realized the possibility of pursuing an MBA—something that was always out of reach as a low-income, first-generation student, she said. Her experience reaffirmed the importance of her liberal arts education.

“When I was interviewing for an internship, I was competing with students who studied finance or accounting, so they have more technical skills,” Ren said. “But from this experience, I learned that a liberal arts education is just as valuable. I was given the ability to think outside the box, to think deeply about the world, and to question everything around me.”

During the summer weeks not devoted to these programs, Ren continued as a private wealth management intern at Morgan Stanley. She began an internship in January at the Experience in New York City program. Ren’s days consisted of research on the industry, the company, stocks and customers.

As Ren enters her final semester at Hamilton, she is excited to see how her summer experiences will strengthen and improve her skill set. “It gave me more technical business skills this summer, and from there I was able to bring my liberal arts education to the table to make my experience much richer,” she said.