There’s a common perception that you can't be "too nice", that you need the right personality to survive in business school and its famously cut-throat environment. Students and graduates face stiff competition when it comes to landing coveted yet limited elite jobs. Like it or not, networking and being memorable play a huge role in breaking into corporate spaces and leadership. Biochemistry graduate Terrikia Benjamin has often been told that she doesn’t have the required traits to pursue an MBA, so she set out to prove them wrong. In this episode, we speak to her about the challenges of switching careers, what newcomers should expect from an MBA programme, and whether or not it’s true that only certain “types” belong in business school.
Maryam: Hey guys, welcome back to the Extra Credit Podcast. If you're a first-time listener, this series is where we talk about the benefits and must-knows of studying abroad with international students, graduates, and professors from around the world. I'm Maryam, your host. If you're thinking of studying business abroad, or if you've ever thought about changing your field of study, but you're not sure if doing that would be the right move for you, today's guest can certainly shed a light on what to expect.
Terrikia Benjamin was actually a biochemistry student at the University of Rochester. But after graduating with her bachelor's degree, she felt the pull of the business world and decided to pursue an MBA for her postgraduate degree. To an outsider, that seems like a pretty huge switch, right?
So, let's hear it from Terrikia herself. Welcome. We're so excited to have you join us today. How are you?
Terrikia Benjamin: Hello, thank you so much for having me. I'm doing well, thank you. How are you?
Maryam: I'm good too. The pleasure is ours. Let's dive straight into the burning questions, right? So, let's go back to where it started, your roots or your origin story, so to say. Back in high school and college in Antigua and Barbuda, did you always have your mind set on pursuing biochemistry or science subjects for your degree? Was a STEM career always on the cards for you?
Terrikia Benjamin: So, I would say that a STEM career was definitely always on the cards, but while in Antigua, I actually aspired to be a doctor. So, for most of my life from childhood, the goal was always to be a doctor. And I would say where that changed to biochem, it was actually the summer before my last year of high school, I did this STEM camp in Barbados. It was called SPICE or the Student Program for Innovations in Science and Engineering. And this was where I was exposed to other alternative careers in science and biochem, or biochemistry was one thing that really caught my eye.
Maryam: So, what was it about biochem that attracted you?
Terrikia Benjamin: So, I will say, I think when I first chose it, it did come from a place of a bit of ignorance. I thought, I like biology, I like chemistry. Biochemistry sounds like a combination. So, that was my first initial reasons, which was in biochemistry. But then as I understood it more, I realised that really the root of a lot of science in the natural world, like, you know, understanding proteins and all of the science processes that go on within the cells, and a lot of these different things, a lot of it is rooted within biochemistry. And so, I really like that it would give me a wide understanding.
Maryam: Ah, so then what made you decide to pursue a bachelor's degree in biochemistry abroad?
Terrikia Benjamin: So, the reason I decided to go abroad is because I really felt that it would give me more access to more resources and opportunities within the field. Antigua is a very small country, very small country, population of just over 100,000. And so, I felt like if I really wanted to pursue this type of education, that it would make sense to do so, you know, at a university that had somewhat unlimited resources and more research opportunities, so that was really the first thing that drew me. But there was also a desire for more cultural exposure. So, I had spent my whole life living in the Caribbean and I felt like it was the time for a change. Like Trevor Noah has this quote, “Travel is the antidote to ignorance.”
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