The road to academic success for Nicole Cambridge, MBA SGU ’15, BSc SGU ’11, has been a winding one, complete with pit stops, twists, and turns throughout. Nevertheless, she persevered, and went on to a Bachelor of Science in economics and finance and a Master of Business Administration, specializing in international business, at St. George’s University.
She earned them both—and maintained a high GPA—all while juggling jobs and taking care of her family. Ms. Cambridge now serves as the Business Development and Research Officer at Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
“Although it took me 10 years and I faced many obstacles, I also had many triumphs, including having my three beautiful daughters along the way,” Ms. Cambridge said.
At the GCIC, Ms. Cambridge supports the organization’s work across a range of areas, including research, policy advice, revenue generation, engagement, and capacity building. She is responsible for collecting and analyzing socioeconomic data and trade statistics, and developing the necessary policy papers to meet the changing needs of the members and stakeholders of the Chamber.
“I wear two caps while working at the GCIC. Some days I work on the business development side of things, drafting contracts, and helping to organize training sessions for local businesses,” stated Ms. Cambridge. “Other days I’m doing research. All of my research skills I acquired through my MBA at SGU, including collecting and analyzing data and reporting, in laymen’s terms, to the average reader. I love what I do. These skills in research methodology and accounting are utilized daily and push me to strive even further in developing my career in finance.”
Ms. Cambridge began as a business studies major at SGU, but altered her course to focus on economics and finance. She was so successful academically that she went on to teach a course in microeconomics in the Department of Educational Services (DES).
Ms. Cambridge hopes to bolster her credentials by achieving certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1, a professional designation given by the CFA Institute that measures the competence and integrity of financial analysts. Additionally, she plans on taking an online Bloomberg Market Concepts Certificate course that introduces market concepts such as economic indicators, currencies (foreign exchange), fixed income (bonds) and equity markets. Her hope is to one day have a career as a portfolio manager, research analyst, or corporate financial analyst.
“To other students thinking about embarking on their own academic journey, although the road may be rough at times, what really matters in the end is getting there successfully,” encouraged Ms. Cambridge. “I would tell them ‘Never give up, and if I can do it, you can do it too.’”
Published January 2018
