From starting a business to buying a home, many of life’s important moments start with access to capital from a banking institution. But throughout history, that access has not been equitable. UC Santa Cruz alumna Alina I’vette Fernandez is part of a movement within the banking industry that’s building a better path forward.
Fernandez graduated in 2020 with a Ph.D. in Latin American and Latino Studies and a designated emphasis in sociology and has built a career helping America’s largest banks operationalize their values and environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. Her work helps C-suite leaders understand the implications of their decisions for both employees and the communities they serve.
“There are people working very hard within banks to share institutional power,” she said. “And this goes far beyond philanthropy. It’s about significant process changes that make ethical and equitable practices business as usual.”
Fernandez’s work encompasses everything from building ethical data collection and integration protocols to studying how sociopolitical contexts vary from one bank branch to the next. She often works to embed equity through process efficiencies and collaborates on innovative fintech applications that can be leveraged for good. For example, she has worked to connect impact investors directly to community leaders to address issues like food deserts or the need for better access to clean water and health care in certain communities.
She approaches all of her work with intersectional perspective and an understanding of the value of lived experience, concepts that are foundational within UC Santa Cruz’s Latin American and Latino Studies and Sociology Departments.
“I think a lot about systems of oppression,” she said. “I also know how to offer critique and build insights from seemingly disparate perspectives. I try to find a point of value that we can build upon. All of that comes from my degree.”
Fernandez also credits much of her problem-solving strategies, communication skills, and collaborative style to her doctoral education. She built close relationships with her faculty mentors, whose words of wisdom she often recalls as she thinks through tough problems at work. She has also stayed in touch with friends from graduate school, some of whom she’s had opportunities to collaborate with at the intersection of industry and academia.
For today’s doctoral students who might be interested in careers outside of academia, Fernandez recommends analyzing job descriptions across industries of interest and using that analysis to support the translation of academic skills and qualifications into industry-specific vocabulary. She also encourages students to participate in doctoral internships, which are offered in some industries. These internships often pay well, she says, and are a great way to get experience, build relationships, and explore a particular role.
Fernandez knows from personal experience that finding your path forward after graduation from a doctoral program isn’t always straightforward. The transition from graduate student to job-seeker is a major identity shift, especially for those who opt to pursue careers outside of academia. But Fernandez has been happy with the opportunities she’s found to put her skills and perspective to work, and she is determined to continue leading positive change.
“My Ph.D. has definitely opened doors for me and helped to position me as a subject matter expert,” she said. “Reflecting on my degree, I think one of the most important benefits is that it strengthened my tenacity and belief in the value of my own thoughts and perspectives.”
The opinions expressed in this article are those of Alina I’vette Fernandez, and not necessarily her past or present employers.