Miracle Olatunji, DMSB'22, is taking over our Instagram @damoremckim this week! Follow along for an inside look at her undergraduate experience.
Q: What is your major and what year are you graduating?
A: I‘m a business administration major with a concentration in finance. I'm graduating in May 2022.
Q: Tell us about your co-op and internship experiences.
A: I experienced my first co-op at Andersen in Boston, MA, from January to May 2020. In this role, I prepared tax returns and analyzed financial statements for alternative investment fund clients (private equity, venture capital, and real estate). It was a great opportunity to learn more about the structure and operations of alternative investment funds, which is a career path in the finance industry that I'm interested in pursuing in the future. After Andersen, I experienced a banking internship at Bank of America. It was a virtual internship due to the restrictions in place from the COVID-19 pandemic. Even in a virtual environment, I learned a lot, made great connections, and gained insights into the incredible company culture and professional opportunities within a big bank. I had a wonderful experience and I can't wait to return to Bank of America as an intern again next summer. Next semester, I'm looking forward to working in the Risk & Financial Advisory group at Deloitte!
Q: What has it been like applying for co-ops during the COVID-19 pandemic? What advice do you have for fellow students still looking for a position?
A: With an entirely virtual recruiting process, the key is to stay connected. Attend virtual networking events and workshops hosted by the co-op office, career services, clubs, and companies themselves. One tip that my peer advisor gave me when I was applying for my first co-op was to do mock interviews to prepare for both behavioral and technical interviews and questions. This helps you to practice articulating your unique story and value that you'd bring to the company!
Q: Tell us about your campus involvement.
A: On campus, I have been involved with the D'Amore-McKim Building Belonging Fellowship, Women in Finance, Women Who Empower (WWE), Entrepreneurship Club, Finance for the Community, Huntington 100, and No Limits Dance Crew. Previously, I was the Director of Innovation at Thrive, which is the financial literacy education center on campus. My favorite project that I worked on at Thrive was called Women Empowered to Financially Thrive, an event focused on helping attendees build their net worth, network, and self-worth. I volunteer with organizations in the Boston area that are focused on economic empowerment and gender equality and I serve on the Audit & Finance Committee of Science Club for Girls.
Q: Can you elaborate on your experience with Northeastern's Women Who Empower initiative? How did you get involved and what has the experience been like?
A: The Women Who Empower community has inspired me and supported me greatly during my experience here at Northeastern. It's an uplifting and inclusive community. I'm so grateful to participate in the ambassador program, and give back and grow this community. The opportunity to be an ambassador enables me to help further the mission of the community and help build a network of fellow students and alumni who are also passionate about it. I had the opportunity to speak at last year's Women Who Empower summit and met many inspiring leaders like Bridget van Kralingen, Nancy Pelosi, and more!
Q: Tell us about your involvement with Women in Finance (WIF) and its mentorship program.
A: I first became involved with Women in Finance during my freshman year after my friend Helen told me about a kickoff event they were hosting with Robin Devereux, DMSB'82, as the guest speaker. I attended the event, and ever since, I've been involved in WIF as a member, served on e-board, and am now a mentor in the mentorship program. I love WIF's mission to create a lifelong network of professional women who encourage and support each other through the successes and challenges of their careers in finance. I previously served as the vice president of access & opportunity and in this role, I created a list of internship opportunities, scholarships, and networking and skill building opportunities such as conferences and leadership programs for members. Currently, Kate Quigley, DMSB'22, and I are mentors to three incredible members of the community. The mentorship program supports our community as we pursue our personal and professional goals together.
Q: How can students still get involved in the Northeastern ecosystem as we continue to live and learn virtually?
With the virtual format, many clubs are having online meetings and events on Zoom. Follow clubs on Instagram and Facebook–and don't be afraid to reach out! Send a DM or email to ask if you can be added to the mailing list to stay up-to-date on events they host. It can be really isolating during this time of social distancing, so staying connected is very helpful and necessary. One thing I've realized is that it's okay to reach out–you're not being annoying! In fact, many people appreciate it and are open to connecting with new friends.
Q: Tell us about your global experiences. How did they contribute to your overall D'Amore-McKim experience?
A: In the summer of 2019, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Denmark at Copenhagen Business School where I studied business statistics and financial management. I lived in a residential building called Porcelænshaven, which was located in Frederiksberg, a suburban area within Copenhagen. Copenhagen is a very bike-friendly city so my friends and I traveled by bikes and scooters. If you're planning to get a bike to rent while you're in Copenhagen, Swapfiets is one of the most popular and affordable bike rental shops/services. You pay a flat fee to rent the bike and they can either deliver it to you or you could go and pick it up. I highly recommend that if you have the opportunity to study abroad, take it! It has really given me the opportunity to learn more about other people and cultures.
Q:Tell us about founding OpportuniMe.
A: I'm the founder of OpportuniMe, a digital community resource and platform that can be used by students to help build their careers. Content includes personal and professional development opportunities as well as educational resources. Over the past few months, I have been creating content on topics such as building your network through virtual coffee chats, resume formatting, preparing for virtual interviews, how to find a virtual internship, how to make the most of your virtual internship, self care, and more.
I have also started compiling lists of virtual internships and professional development opportunities for students to participate in. I am a passionate advocate for access to opportunities like internships and professional development workshops because I have seen firsthand how even just one opportunity, connection, or resource can change the trajectory of someone's life and help them have more optimism for the future! Opportunities are essentially the keys that unlock the door to passion, career, and self discovery (actually, the last part “self discovery” is where the “ME” part comes in the name OpportuniMe!).
Q: You have published a book and have another one in the works; tell us about that.
Since I was little, writing has always been one of my favorite forms of self-expression. In fact, one of my childhood dreams was to write a book one day. That “one day” became “day one” as I began working on my first book in the summer of 2018. My book, “Purpose: How To Live and Lead With Impact” was published officially on July 27, 2019. It was both a challenging and fun process, but I'm so grateful to have had such a wonderful team of editors, designers, friends, and family who supported me in bringing my vision to life. I'm currently working on the proposal for my second book and hope to write more in the future.
Q: You've been recognized by BostInno ‘25 Under 25' and The Tempest Magazine ‘40 Women To Watch'. What have these experiences been like?
A: I'm really grateful for these honors and to have met so many inspiring young leaders who have become friends! These honors also remind me of the importance of doing what you're passionate about and helping others realize their potential (or as the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc puts it: lifting as you climb!). It shows me how far I've grown from a personal and professional development standpoint and that this is just the beginning!
Q: Is there anything else you'd want to touch on or add?
A: I'm thankful for all these amazing opportunities and the people in the Northeastern community who have supported me personally and professionally over the years. This is a truly special community! The last time I was on a plane this year was when I went to San Francisco in January for the Silicon Valley Bank Trek program. I was nominated by the incredible Betsy Ludwig and I had a wonderful experience. I met 24 other students from 20 different schools and five countries and had the opportunity to learn from accomplished entrepreneurs, innovators, and venture capitalists. I wrote a blog post about the experience and what I learned here.
