Charlotte Grad Finds Something Bigger At Belk College
Graduating this December from UNC Charlotte with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Mikenzie Green couldn’t fathom a trajectory that would lead her to a four-year degree and a burgeoning career in the world of business. Green reflects on her unexpected journey, asserting, “I didn’t see myself taking control and doing something bigger.”
Her transformative experience began with a spontaneous application to UNC Charlotte. A campus visit shifted her perspective, prompting her to contemplate a grander future. “I came here to campus and I thought, ‘Wait, I do want something bigger.’ I think that changed my life,” she mused.
Now on the cusp of a business analyst role at First Citizens Bank’s CIT subsidiary in Charlotte, Green is set to utilize her acquired knowledge to scrutinize the intricacies of the companies they engage with, along with their clients and customers. “I think all of my experiences will help me look at things not only in the way that the rest of the team does but also in different ways,” she shares, highlighting the value of diverse perspectives in problem-solving.
Green’s trajectory towards a finance major was fueled by a desire to help others, melding her penchant for mathematics with an intrigue for the narratives embedded within numerical data. “With financial literacy, I come from a family who never really talked about it. I didn’t know much about the topic, but I knew it was going to be important to me,” she reflects.
Interning with First Citizens as a CIT Commercial Services intern solidified her commitment to fostering financial stability for individuals and businesses alike. Drawing inspiration from her mother and grandmother, who served as teacher assistants in public schools, Green harbors a deep-seated interest in understanding and alleviating the financial struggles that impact both individuals and businesses.
Despite juggling internships, classes, and part-time campus positions, including roles with OneIT and as a Belk College peer advisor, Green takes pride in her ability to maintain academic focus. “It’s more than a full-time job. Keeping it together was my biggest accomplishment and being able to accept that I have done it myself and I can take my own credit,” she notes.
Transitioning into a senior peer advisor role, Green has dedicated herself to guiding fellow students, leveraging her experiences to ensure they are well-informed about their academic options. Her tenure at the Niblock Student Center has not only provided her with practical business skills but has also allowed her to impart wisdom to newer peer advisors.
Acknowledging the support she received from her advisor, Kim Lawrence, and the broader faculty and staff, Green emphasizes the pivotal role they played in her personal and professional development. “Professors can really make or break your education,” she observes. “I have had so many professors who have so many connections, and they just want to see their students succeed.”
Green’s transformative journey at the Belk College has instilled in her the importance of lifelong learning. “Being in the classroom and earning a degree is not going to be enough for the rest of our lives,” she contends, echoing the sentiments of her professors. “Being able to adapt and learn new things is what is going to take us to the next level over and over again.”
Reflecting on her metamorphosis, Green acknowledges, “I have changed so much. I am a completely different person than I was when I first came here when I was a teenager.” The resources provided by the Belk College and the Charlotte community have played a pivotal role in her growth, enabling her to evolve into someone who aspires to achieve significant and meaningful milestones. “Becoming an adult is hard, but all of the resources that the Belk College and Charlotte in general provide really help students be successful. Being able to take advantage of all that and be my best self is priceless.”