Finding a Balance

“Oberlin was the place where I could take academically rigorous classes but also pursue my music alongside other serious musicians,” says the Bay Area native, who has played the instrument since the age of three. “That balance was really important for me.”

When Mortazavi graduated four years later, she still practiced piano regularly, but she did not end up majoring in music. During her time at Oberlin, her academic interests shifted with her exposure to Oberlin’s wide array of academic options. Mortazavi ended up majoring in economics, minoring in East Asian studies, and completing a then-brand new integrative concentration in business. 

“I chose econ because I found it to be a very versatile degree,” she says. “It was both qualitative and quantitative at times. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do after college, but I knew that would be flexible enough to open some doors.” 

Indeed, Mortazavi parlayed her college experiences, which included three years leading the Oberlin Finance Club as well as a Winter Term entrepreneurship bootcamp, into a COVID lockdown-era stint at an AI startup and then finance internships before she began her current role as an investment banking analyst at Societe Generale in New York.

“The job I’m currently in, which is Equity Capital Markets within investment banking, has a lot to do with the concepts you learn in economics,” she says. "But I was able to differentiate myself through the other courses I took at Oberlin. Whether that was physics, philosophy, or art history — the whole liberal arts curriculum allowed me to be adaptable in learning new concepts and approach problem solving with a diverse set of perspectives.”

Mortazavi is among those alumni offering Associate Professor of Business Eric Lin input on curriculum development for the new business major that launched in fall 2025. She’s also working with Lin to “assemble this bullpen of alumni to strengthen our connectivity” with current students, so Obies interested in finance have more mentorship and networking opportunities.

“I see how so many of these Oberlin alums go out of their way to help other Obies,” she says. “The nature of those relationships has influenced my desire to give back.”

When you major in business at Oberlin, you have access to powerful networking opportunities with alumni who are as creative and aspirational as you are. Learn more about this course of study, whether you’re diving into the corporate sector, launching a freelance consulting career, or even opening your own business.