Enterprise Risk Management Degree, Passion for Field Takes Alexia Thomas (MET’25) from Student to Analyst at a Top Bank
Alexia Thomas (MET’25)
Analyst, Risk Rotational Program, RBC Capital Markets
MS, Enterprise Risk Management
What motivated you to earn your master’s degree at this point? Why did you choose to fulfill your goal at Metropolitan College?
After my undergraduate studies, I worked as a recruiter at a third-party agency, helping banks find candidates in risk and analytics. Over time, I realized how much I was drawn to the field myself and I wanted to be on the other side, actually working in risk management rather than just supporting those who did. MET stood out as one of the only schools in the US offering a truly comprehensive risk management program, which made my decision an easy one.
What do you find most fascinating about the discipline of Enterprise Risk Management? Do you have a particular focus within the broader field?
Honestly, I’m passionate about the entire discipline. I came to BU intending to focus on financial risk, but the program introduced me to enterprise and operational risk, areas I didn’t expect to enjoy, yet ended up finding incredibly engaging. I love that these fields are broad and require connecting multiple dots. For example, in my Business Continuity Management (MET AD 617) and Technology Risk Management (MET AD 618) classes, I explored various risks that Toyota Motors could face. One of the more interesting things I looked at was how climate risk (e.g. a tsunami) could create supplier risk (e.g. semiconductor chip manufacturers in Taiwan) and ultimately cause operational (e.g. inability to produce cars) and financial (e.g. loss of revenue) risks. Evaluating that kind of scenario—its likelihood, potential impact, and how to quantify it—was both bizarre and fascinating.
That said, I’m hoping to spend the early part of my career in financial risk, specifically credit, market, or liquidity risk, after completing the rotations in my full-time role. Financial risk aligns closely with my background in finance, and based on what I learned as a recruiter, it’s much easier to transition out of financial risk than into it from other areas like operational risk. Starting there gives me more flexibility down the line.
Congratulations on your high achievement in the Enterprise Risk Management program and your Award for Excellence in your studies! Looking back, what do you consider to be the main ingredients of your success?
Thank you! I think a few things helped me succeed:
- I’m genuinely interested in risk and found most of the coursework really engaging.
- I care about doing things well and try to hold myself to a high standard.
- I’m fairly organized and proactive about managing my workload.
At the start of each semester, I’d build out a calendar that mapped out every assignment, exam, and discussion post so I could anticipate my busiest weeks. I usually start major assignments at least two weeks in advance, aiming to finish a week early. That way, I have time to make thoughtful revisions.
I also made a point of asking questions—something I wasn’t always comfortable with at first. For technical courses like Enterprise Risk Analytics (MET AD 616) and Data Mining for Business Analytics (MET AD 571), going to office hours really helped me work through tricky concepts. And for classes that involved papers, I liked to run my ideas by the professor early on. It helped me feel more confident that I was on the right track and often led to stronger work overall.
Lastly, one thing I discovered is that I come up with better ideas when I give myself time to reflect. Starting early let me return to an assignment with fresh eyes, which allows me to improve my argument, change my perspective, or just help the assignment flow better. While this approach often means I spend more total time on an assignment, the outcome is always stronger.
How were you able to successfully balance your studies with your commitments outside the classroom?
I was fortunate to be a full-time student for most of my program, which gave me the space to fully focus on school. During semesters with multiple classes, I treated school like a full-time job. I stuck to a routine from my previous work life—waking up around 7 am, working on homework until noon, heading to class, then coming home to get at least a few more hours of work done.
That structure helped me stay ahead of my work and also will make the transition back into a professional setting smoother. I think maintaining a routine is essential not only for academic success but also for setting yourself up well post-graduation.
Was your success in the program driven by a particular outcome—such as professional advancement, educational achievement, personal satisfaction, or something else?
Mostly, I’m driven by the standards I set for myself. I’ve always enjoyed school and wanted to prove to myself that I could excel in this program. I was nervous about my first semester, but once I got through it successfully, I felt motivated to keep that momentum going and finish strong.
Professional advancement definitely played a role, too. I knew that doing well would make me more confident in interviews and more excited to talk about my experiences in the program.
Is there a particular course or project that enhanced your experience in the Enterprise Risk Management program? Please explain.
Absolutely— with Master Lecturer Gregory Page was a standout course for me. I came in incredibly nervous, since I had no background in coding, but Master Lecturer Page set up the course in a way that was intuitive, supportive, and highly effective. Each week, we used a different set of tools to analyze real data for a specific New York City suburb. The structure made it easy to see how each new concept was built on the last, and working with real-world data made everything feel more relevant and applicable.
One of the things I appreciated most was that Master Lecturer Page emphasized understanding the results over just writing code. He recognized that in the real world, people use outside resources to help them code, so he encouraged us to focus on interpreting our findings and drawing meaningful conclusions. He was very clear about expectations, held office hours every Friday night, and was always available to help.
What made the class exceptional was how well-organized it was. Master Lecturer Page had high standards, but he communicated them clearly and gave you the tools to succeed—if you followed directions, showed up on time, and engaged with the material, you’d do well. But he didn’t hesitate to hold students accountable if they were disrespectful or didn’t take the work seriously. That level of clarity and fairness really stuck with me.
I absolutely loved this class—it challenged me, gave me confidence in my technical skills, and showed me how analytics can drive better decision-making. I would recommend taking any course Master Lecturer Page offers!
What’s next for you? If you are changing roles, moving on to a new career, or receiving any kind of promotion, we would love to hear about it. Would you say that your program helped prepare you for the next phase of your career?
I’ve accepted a role at RBC Capital Markets as an analyst as part of their risk rotational program. Over the next two years, I’ll rotate through six risk disciplines: credit, market, liquidity, counterparty, enterprise, and operational risk. This type of role was exactly what I was looking for as I wanted the opportunity to experience various risk domains in the real-world prior to choosing where I’ll ultimately spend my career.
This program was absolutely instrumental in helping me land the job. There aren’t many graduate programs specifically focused on risk, so the fact that I was pursuing one really helped me stand out while applying to roles and interviewing.
You were recognized by faculty and peers for your hard work and dedication to the Enterprise Risk Management program. What “words of advice” or encouragement have served as a guiding principle, or simply inspiration, for you? Any words of wisdom you would like to pass along to students starting in the program?
Regarding words of wisdom, one of the most important things you can do for yourself in this program is figure out how you learn best. For me, I’ve known since undergrad that I retain information best when I write things out by hand and then actively try to recall it without looking. Before exams, I spend a few days handwriting all my class notes. Then, at least 48 hours before the test, I start studying by looking at a topic heading and trying to explain everything I remember out loud from memory. This helps me deeply understand the content rather than just passively skimming or memorizing slides.
That approach was especially helpful in this program, where it’s easy to get lost in the details. But much of the material builds toward larger processes or frameworks—and when you can step back and understand how the pieces fit together, everything becomes more intuitive and easier to retain. If you know how you study best and give yourself enough time to absorb the big picture, you’ll set yourself up for success.
A great example of this was in my Business Continuity Management (MET AD 617) course. Throughout the term, we covered many different principles, with each class focused on a different step in a larger process. When it came time to study, it felt overwhelming—there was just so much content. But then I remembered a visual our professor had shown us that laid out how the steps flowed together. Once I saw the material as a process rather than a set of isolated concepts, it all started to click. For example, instead of just memorizing a list of five steps, I’d ask myself, “Okay, if we’ve completed the business impact analysis, do we implement it next? Or do we need to design it first?” Thinking through it logically helped the order stick and made everything more intuitive. That experience reinforced how important it is to understand the structure behind the content.
Finally, time management and routine make a huge difference. I try to work ahead so I’m not rushing assignments and can actually think through ideas. Some of my best insights came days after I first started working on something—giving yourself that time to reflect can really elevate the quality of your work.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
One final piece of advice: don’t psych yourself out. It’s easy to feel intimidated—whether it’s by a course’s reputation or the challenge of online learning. I found that when I focused on my own process and pace, I was able to do well. Everyone learns differently, so what’s difficult for someone else might come more naturally to you—and vice versa. Trust yourself, put in the effort, and you’ll be fine.
Also, while I only highlighted a few classes earlier, I genuinely enjoyed the entire program. Lecturers Mark Carroll and David Weidman were fantastic resources, and I appreciated having them for multiple classes—it helped me build stronger connections and stay engaged. Master Lecturer William McGue made finance both clear and rigorous, thanks to his organization and transparency. And while innovation isn’t my natural strength, Assistant Professor Kathleen Park made her class, Innovation, Global Competitiveness, and National Economic Development (MET AD 667), surprisingly fun and thought-provoking. The course materials were some of the most interesting I’ve encountered, and I left feeling more confident in my creative thinking.
Published June 2025