Starting a Career in San Francisco
Hi, I’m Lilou Rougier! I’m originally from France and attended EDHEC Business School—one of the leading business schools in Europe—where I studied business management. As part of my academic journey, I was admitted to the Global Economic Transformation & Technology (GETT) master's program, an international degree designed to prepare students for the challenges of a rapidly evolving global economy.
Through this program, I studied for six months at SKK Graduate School of Business in Seoul, South Korea, before spending one year (Fall 2025 and Spring 2026) at Berkeley Haas Global Access Program through the prestigious partnership between EDHEC and Berkeley.
Ever since I started college, studying at Berkeley has been one of my biggest academic goals. Berkeley's global reputation, entrepreneurial spirit and culture of innovation made it a dream destination for me.
The opportunity to learn from world-class faculty while being immersed in the Bay Area ecosystem was something I simply could not pass up.
Learning at the Center of Innovation
During my time at Berkeley, I took a variety of courses, including:
Fall 2025 Semester
Changing Climate and Business Strategy
Introduction to General Astronomy (Astronomy has always been a personal passion of mine and I wanted to explore something outside of my usual field of study.)
Spring 2026 Semester
Topics in Marketing: The Business of AI
Strategy for the Networked Economy
Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Sustainability
A. Richard Newton Lecture Series
These courses gave me a deeper understanding of innovation, emerging technologies, entrepreneurship and product development—topics that are becoming increasingly important for future business leaders.
They also helped me better understand how companies can navigate technological disruption while creating sustainable and responsible growth.
My experience in BHGAP had a significant impact on this career path. It introduced me to the American mindset, entrepreneurial culture and ambition that define the Bay Area.
One of the greatest assets of these classes is the strong connection between the classroom and the professional world. Many courses regularly featured guest speakers, founders, executives and industry experts who shared their real-world experiences.
This made it much easier to understand how the concepts we were learning are applied in practice. We heard about current industry challenges, career paths and emerging trends directly from professionals working in the field.
Building a Professional Future in the Bay Area
The career coaching was incredibly valuable and helped me gain much more clarity about my professional goals. The sessions allowed me to better understand my strengths, identify career paths that aligned with my interests and navigate the U.S. job market more effectively.
This helped me secure a position with an amazing advertising agency in San Francisco. My experience in BHGAP had a significant impact on this career path. It introduced me to the American mindset, entrepreneurial culture and ambition that define the Bay Area. Being surrounded by innovation and driven individuals inspired me to pursue opportunities that I might not have considered otherwise.
Experiencing American College Life
Outside of class, I fully embraced student life and explored everything the Bay Area has to offer.
One of my favorite experiences was attending Berkeley football games. As an international student, the atmosphere was absolutely fascinating and gave me a true taste of American college culture.
I also spent a lot of time exploring San Francisco. I loved discovering the city's different neighborhoods, walking across the Golden Gate Bridge and spending time on Fillmore Street, which became one of my favorite places for shopping, coffee shops and weekend strolls.
To any upcoming BHGAP student, my top five recommendations are:
- Enjoy Taco Tuesday at Raleigh's.
- Relax on the terrace at Caffé Strada with friends.
- Have a picnic at Mission Dolores Park in San Francisco.
- Explore Fillmore Street for shopping and coffee shops.
- Spend an evening at one of San Francisco's incredible jazz clubs.
But my best piece of advice would be to choose courses that genuinely interest you. When you are passionate about what you are learning, the experience becomes much more rewarding.
I would also encourage you to fully immerse yourself in campus life. Attend events, meet new people, join activities and take advantage of every opportunity available. The academic experience is important, but so is experiencing American college life to the fullest.
