Alumni Spotlight: Elaine Kub

Elaine Kub (MBA ’07) was one of the few students who came to the Rady School of Management directly after earning her undergraduate degree in engineering.

“It was great to learn from classmates who had already been out in the real world, and at the same time to contribute a different kind of wide-eyed energy,” she said. “Our class had a good time harnessing the startup spirit for a multitude of new clubs and organizations. Ultimately, it was the math and analytical skills, refined in Rady’s finance and investment courses, which set me on my professional career trading and writing about the commodity markets.”

1. What impact has Rady had on your career progression?
   When I entered the program, I was fairly unsure about what direction I wanted my career to take, but my Rady connections opened my eyes to career opportunities I wouldn’t have otherwise known even existed. An idea and a connection will get you just so far, however. It was the knowledge and skillset learned in the classroom which truly made it happen. Without the classes and events at Rady, I would have had no idea there was so many opportunities for funding new business ideas, nor would I have known where to begin the formal process of starting a business.
2. Has your Rady MBA enabled you to change industries or functional areas or even achieve a promotion?
   I started with just an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering and ended up with a career in the investment industry. That might have been possible without an MBA, but my years at Rady were definitely an inspiration.
3. What event or realization served as a ‘turning point’ for during your Rady School and/or professional career?
   After speaking at a conference, someone came up to me and asked for reading recommendations on the topic I was presenting (agricultural commodity prices). It occurred to me that there wasn’t really anything out there. Looking at it in the entrepreneurial mindset taught at Rady, that meant there was a market opportunity! I think having a well-rounded education from Rady gave me the confidence to step up and write my book, which fits well into that particular niche of market opportunity.
4. What is the most memorable moment from your Rady School experience?
   Early in the first year, we were individually captured on video, just speaking extemporaneously about ourselves. This was so we would have to watch it and truly see how we appeared to others. That was eye-opening. It really showed me the value of growing up and getting “polished” by business school before going out among others in the real world.
5. What is the best thing about being a Rady alumni?
   Always having a great reason to go back and visit beautiful San Diego!
6. Tell us a fun fact about you, or something people may not know about you.
   So far I’ve been to five of the seven continents. It’s just the long flight to Australia and the next leg to Antarctica which are holding me back!