As a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, Melanie double majored in Near Eastern Studies and Economics, exploring her two passions of international relations and business. After completing her undergraduate degree in 2014, Melanie spent three years working in the Healthcare Group in the Investment Banking Division at J.P. Morgan. During her three years at J.P. Morgan, Melanie had the opportunity to work with and advise large healthcare organizations in the biotech, pharmaceutical, diagnostics and life sciences tools sectors on strategic M&A and capital markets transactions.
From J.P. Morgan, Melanie wanted to start developing an investment skillset, and she moved to Boston to join a middle market private equity firm investing in tech-enabled business services and software companies. In 2022, Melanie will be moving back to NYC to join a healthcare-focused private equity firm.
Since graduation, Melanie often reflects on how the Near Eastern Studies major prepared her for her career. Even though the content does not directly relate to her every-day work, Melanie credits the Liberal Arts education, and particularly the Near Eastern Studies department, for developing her critical thinking skills needed to evaluate investment opportunities and bring fresh perspectives to strategic discussions. Every step of the way, the Cornell alumni network has been instrumental in opening the door to new opportunities.
