Career Growth Starts With Confidence

When Marguerite Gallorini first stepped into the world of business journalism, she knew she had found an exciting new chapter, but also a steep learning curve.

After years working as a general news reporter across radio, television and print in Canada and Washington, D.C., Marguerite transitioned into financial news production in San Francisco as a segment and field producer at Bloomberg News. There, she covered complex topics in tech and markets.

While the pace and content were invigorating, she quickly realized there was a gap in her knowledge.

“I wanted to follow along better at work and be more effective in my own job,“ she says. “I felt like I was understanding 80 percent of what was being said on our business channel and always felt on the back foot day-to-day.”

Determined to build a stronger foundation in business concepts, Marguerite started our Certificate Program in Business Administration, a decision that would ultimately transform both her confidence and career trajectory.

“My change from covering general news to being part of a business-focused channel was the main reason I looked into this certificate program,” she recalls. “I wanted to simply get a better understanding of financial and business concepts to at least get this ‘baseline’ understanding of what was going on around me.”

Without any prior academic background in business—she holds a bachelor of sociology from Université Marie et Louis Pasteur and a master’s degree in journalism and international studies from Université Sorbonne Nouvelle—Marguerite was looking for a certificate that could meet her where she was. Our offering stood out for its accessibility and flexibility. And it helped that her employer was reimbursing her studies.

“The fact that there were no prerequisites was a big draw,” she adds. “I had never covered business news before nor had I taken any business-related class, so I felt like I needed to start fresh,” she recalls.

Like many adult learners, Marguerite was balancing full-time work while pursuing her studies. At the time, she was a segment producer for Bloomberg Technology, waking up at 5 am to prepare for a live show and wrapping her workday by early afternoon—just in time to shift gears into coursework.

I wanted to simply get a better understanding of financial and business concepts to at least get this "baseline" understanding of what was going on around me.

Learning While Working

Despite the demanding schedule, Marguerite embraced the rigor of the program. She found that the coursework varied in intensity, which kept the experience dynamic and engaging.

“Some courses were very challenging and therefore interesting—like the financial accounting class,” she says.

She dedicated anywhere from a few hours to more than 10 hours per week outside of class, depending on the subject. What stood out most, however, was the support from instructors.

“Instructors were always very responsive via email about any question, which was great,” she notes.

Even while studying, Marguerite’s career continued to evolve. Midway through the program, she was promoted to line producer, a role that expanded her responsibilities to overseeing segments, managing producers and guiding anchors live from the control room. It also required a move to New York, so being able to take classes online meant no disruption to her learnings.

This step up required a broader understanding of business, budgeting and leadership, skills that aligned directly with what she was learning in the certificate.

One of the most impactful outcomes was the shift in Marguerite’s confidence at work.

“I no longer feel on the back foot and feel more confident in my own abilities and knowledge of markets and business in general,” she says.

The certificate didn’t just help her understand conversations: It enabled her to actively participate in them. Concepts that once felt unfamiliar became part of her everyday vocabulary.

“The other day, one of the anchors talked about the ‘opportunity cost’ of something,” Marguerite describes. “That’s a term I had never heard of before the certificate and wouldn’t fully know the meaning of it if it weren’t for my classes.”

Beyond the newsroom, the knowledge also translated into her personal life. Financial accounting lessons helped her make more informed decisions, including evaluating a mortgage: Practical, real-world value of the curriculum can go beyond career success!

I no longer feel on the back foot and feel more confident in my own abilities and knowledge of markets and business in general.

Gaining a Professional Edge

Completing the certificate wasn’t just about acquiring new knowledge; it was about personal growth.

“I am proud of having gone through with it,” she says. “Working through this certificate during my free time gave me a sense of bettering myself and doing something worthwhile.”

The experience also reintroduced her to the joy of learning. “Getting back into a ‘learning’ mode aside from work was a good way to use my brain in a different way. It added variety to the day-to-day.”

For those considering the program, Marguerite emphasizes the importance of structure and self-discipline, especially when learning in an online environment.

“Have a plan in place, always,” she advises. “Setting time aside specifically for studying in your calendar also helps so that you don’t fall behind.”

Working through this certificate during my free time gave me a sense of bettering myself and doing something worthwhile.

Looking Ahead

As Marguerite looks to the future, she’s focused on continuing her upward trajectory in media leadership.

“I’d love to stay with my current show and move up the managerial ladder: senior and then executive producer,” she says.

With responsibilities like budgeting and team management becoming increasingly central to her role, the business acumen she developed through the certificate will remain a critical asset.

And the value of the certificate extends beyond her career—or any future student. “This certificate is a good thing for anyone to get, even if you're not in a business environment, per se,” she reflects.

From understanding economic headlines to making smarter personal financial decisions, the knowledge she gained has given her a more informed perspective on the world.

And perhaps most importantly, it helped her move from feeling uncertain to fully confident in a fast-paced, high-stakes industry, proving that the right education can truly change the way you show up, every day.