Jenna Hashem

Learning from the careers of the various guest speakers inspired me to think outside of the box when it comes to the future of the business world.

Financial technologies are changing the way we conduct our everyday lives. The Fintech course at HEC allowed me to achieve a deeper understanding of this evolving sector and how it connects to the way we operate globally.

I am an undergraduate student at Cornell University studying Economics and French. I was interested in acquiring an in-depth insight in the fintech sector and improving my French fluency. Because of this background, I was drawn to HEC Paris’s Fintech Summer Program.

During the program, my classmates and I learned from Professor Patrick Legland’s expertise, also in the field of mergers and acquisitions. This knowledge promoted our ability to engage with the guest speakers on a deeper level. Many of the guest speakers were founders of startups that are in tune with the pulse of 21st century life. The range of speakers included experts in the fields of cryptocurrencies, venture capital, embedded finance, and artificial intelligence. Learning from their careers thus far inspired me to think outside of the box when it comes to the future of the business world.

I learned as much outside the classroom from my peers as I did inside the classroom. As a first generation American, I have always felt stimulated in culturally diverse spaces. HEC allowed me to exercise this spirit as I met someone unique every day! The feeling of being surrounded by students from across the globe who are similarly driven and curious was energizing.

Group projects allowed me to build my network in a more structured setting as well. We built on each other’s different backgrounds and strengths to create new ways of problem solving, thinking, and empathizing. We produced greater results as a group than with our individual skills.

I traveled across the Atlantic looking forward to sharpening my financial skills, and I came home with equally advanced technical and personal skills. I am incredibly grateful for this international learning experience at HEC as I learned more about myself as a result!