Rita Leanca from Moldova has graduated from LCC International University with a degree in International Business Administration this Spring. Transferring from the Netherlands to LCC has been a journey for Rita as she did not immediately see the value of liberal arts education. However, in those four years of her studies, she found passion in finance and aspires to continue her education.

Rita, what were some of the frustrations regarding transfer from Law to Business major?
During my studies in the Netherlands in Law program, I felt the lack of numbers in my life. I wanted to study something quantitative, and Business major at LCC was one of the options that offered this. When I first arrived at LCC, I struggled for quite a while to like this place. I thought it was not focused enough on Business studies. However, I grew to love it and to be extremely grateful for everything I have learned. Looking back over these four years, I realize what a different person I have become, not only as a professional, but also as an individual.

You mentioned feeling frustration when first coming to LCC. What changed your mind?
I changed my mind during one of the Bible courses, that we have to take as part of the curriculum. I thought Bible courses that are mandatory is somewhat an enforcement of studying a subject related to religion, and I did not like that idea. When I got to the class the professor mentioned: “Some of the students might not like this subject or might be from different religious backgrounds. However, Bible is one of the most popular books that ever existed in the world and you are lucky enough to get to know it better”. I realized that I would rather study something that whole world talks about and this is when I felt gratitude for being at LCC. Having a variety of classes enables me to talk with people on any topics related to history, religion, literature, economics, finance and others. That realization transformed my vision and my perspective of LCC and liberal arts education.

Now that you have successfully defended your thesis, could you tell us more about it?
My thesis was researching the efficiency of the European Central Bank is in setting policy interest rates and how they affect economies within the Eurozone. I am quite satisfied with my project. They say that thesis is a way of showing what you learned so far, but I would disagree with this. Thesis is a challenge rather than just showing what you have learned. Or maybe it was just my take on thesis because I took it into a more econometric way. I cannot say that I was very well equipped for Econometrics research, but I did spend a large amount of time just learning Econometrics, consulting with professors, so in the end I was actually more proud of myself. I truly enjoyed the process, I enjoyed seeing myself grow and gaining new knowledge.

What was it like living in an international community during your studies and how it has impacted you?
The only thing that I can think of is how people perceive LCC and how they identify themselves here. There will always be people who are completely satisfied with something and people who are completely disappointed. I believe that it truly depends on people’s attitude how their experiences will go. As I mentioned before, from being initially disappointed I grew to love this place and it is not because LCC was an amazing place by itself, but rather I made the effort to like it and LCC has given me so much in return. The acceptance, the ability to prove myself, ability to build my own reputation, all of this depends on how well you search for opportunities.

What are your plans after graduation?
I used to be anxious when people would ask me this question, but then I learned to be comfortable with saying that I am not sure yet. First of all, this semester was very different from other semesters. I was working on my thesis, still had classes as well as a full time and part time job. It was not easy to manage it all, and I am not complaining or anything, but it was the first time when I realized that saying “I do not have time to think about it” is actually valid. After graduation, I plan to get a Master’s degree in Finance and for that I will need to pass an International Standardized Test. I am taking a gap year which I am grateful for, because I really need it for rest and preparation for the test. I want to take time for self development and to pursue things that will fulfill me as an individual and as a professional in the field of finance.