Master of Science in Finance
Meet our Alumni of the Week – Melanie Dünken, Master of Science in Finance. Before coming to GBSB Melanie worked as a Junior Corporate Finance Consultant. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Financial Services from a credit institution in cooperation with the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University. Melanie shares her story how she learned to live life without regret.
Background, Languages and Little Bit of Fun
Güten Tag! My name is Melanie Dünken, and I am from a city called Biberach (Riß) in the south of Germany. I am fluent in both German and English and also speak a little Spanish and Latin. In my spare time, I love to hit the volleyball court for a match or you can find me in a yoga studio, finding balance and clarity.
Living Without Regrets
I always wanted to pursue my master’s studies abroad. After six years of professional work experience I decided to take the opportunity to stop thinking about it and actually do something about it. Leaving behind a comfortable home, family, friends and a secure workplace is never easy, but I decided to accept the challenge. I have never regretted it. After having this experience, I can confidently advise others to do the same, to live without regret, to face challenges head on, to take an adventure, especially one that may lead abroad.
Why GBSB Global Business School in Barcelona?
While studying for my bachelor’s degree I decided to spend one semester as an intern abroad, I started in Mallorca, moved to Barcelona and ended in London. During my time in Barcelona, I fell in love with the city, with its amazing architecture, the sea and the inspiring people.
After having earned my bachelor’s degree at a small university with only around twenty students in each class, taught by a faculty of professionals, I knew what I wanted. I didn’t like sitting in large lecture halls with upwards of 600 students in attendance. It wasn’t for me. At GBSB, I felt at home being abroad. With the small class sizes and a lot of personal interaction between students and professors, I felt more engaged in my studies and inspired by the faculty. In addition, I truly valued the exchange with other students from all over the world, interacting in a such a way that diversity was our biggest strength as an educational tool. I also preferred the system of grading at GBSB, taking into account participation, homework, presentations and final exams. This was a big change from my bachelor studies where one exam determined my marks in the entire class.
The GBSB Global Business School in Barcelona was a perfect fit, just what I wanted when I first thought about studying abroad so many years ago. I wanted to get a deeper financial view from different countries all over the world as well as to improve different soft skills like communication and negotiation. The school gave me the opportunity to do this and to get to know people from all over the world, as well as immerse myself in Spanish culture.
What´s Next?
My biggest achievement at GBSB was earning the highest GPA at GBSB. This was only icing on the cake. The experience was enriching from so many angles. I learned that from every country you can learn different approaches to business and finance, not to mention I made some amazing friends along the way.
Now that I have graduated from the GBSB Global Business School, I am looking at careers geared toward banking, finance, real estate management or project management. Although I am not certain in which direction my future will lead, I take with me a wonderful educational experience and a network of friends and professional connections.
