MBA Program

Student Voices

Timothy Lawton, MBA ’10

A new career path

I was in the military before school, and I saw MIT Sloan as a great way to transition into a new career. I was interested in finance and business, so I knew it would be the perfect place for me to build the foundation I would need to make that next step.

After my first year at MIT Sloan, I have found my passion in the area of finance. One of the great things about MIT Sloan is that you get a chance to be exposed to everything, which is especially good for a career changer like myself. From the clubs, the extracurricular activities as well as the classes and world-renowned professors there is so much I want to take part in before my time is up. The only real challenge is deciding what I actually have time for.

A future in finance

I was lucky enough to get a summer internship in investment banking with Barclays Capital. It gave me exposure to all aspects of the industry and helped me realize that this is what I want to do after I graduate.

There were a lot of similarities that I was able to draw from my experiences in the military. You are working on a team, and although you are working long hours, there is the satisfaction of working toward goals and tangible results. Also, investment banking is a very dynamic environment. It is an industry that is always changing. Obviously for me, just starting out, I feel like I learn something new everyday—but I speak to senior bankers who have been doing it for many years and they still say that they are constantly learning. It is inspiring to be in a place where you are always able to grow and learn.

I feel that the military has prepared me very well not only for my experience at MIT Sloan but also my experience this summer. It really gave me a kind of leadership experience that is not easy to attain right out of college. Not only was I responsible for the success of the mission, but people's lives as well, and getting those kinds of responsibilities early on in my career prepared me not only to be a leader, but also to work well in a team-based environment like MIT Sloan.

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