When John Stanula enrolled at NC State’s Poole College of Management, he took the university’s “Think and Do” mantra as a call to action.
“I was eager to explore what Poole had to offer,” Stanula says. “And I wanted a balance of academic and social experiences.”
He joined a fraternity, which helped him get the lay of the land on campus, he says, and membership in Poole’s Finance Club and Accounting Society helped him narrow in on his area of study.
Stanula graduated in May 2025 with a BA in economics and BS in business administration with a concentration in finance.
“It all set the foundation not just for a degree on a piece of paper, but for developing a mindset for the career I wanted to pursue,” he says.
That mindset was something he carried forward as he pursued courses and real-world experiences while working toward his degrees.
Stanula was elected vice president of finance for his fraternity, which he says opened his eyes to “a varied, nuanced level of finance.”
“It’s like running a small business,” he says. “I’m operating a budget, working with the executive board, allocating resources, connecting with alumni — it’s a true financial decision-making environment.”
Economics, Finance and Internships
Economics, he feels, is complementary in nature to finance. While he initially considered minoring in economics, Stanula ultimately decided to pursue it as a second major.
“The two are so intertwined,” he says. “Understanding economics helps you understand the forces behind financial markets and decision-making.”
He took those passions off campus as well through a number of internship opportunities. Prior to his freshman year, Stanula interned first with Hendrick Automotive Group, returning there again after his first year at Poole.
Internships followed with TIAA’s financial planning and analysis team, and then with Nuveen on their global product team.
“Those experiences all really built on each other and were crucial for gaining that real-world understanding,” he says.
“Understanding economics helps you understand the forces behind financial markets and decision-making.”
Back in the classroom, challenging coursework gave him the foundation to be successful in those internships and his future career. Two courses Stanula says stood out in his academic journey included BUS 480: Capstone Security Valuation & Portfolio Management, and EC 490, a research seminar in economics.
BUS 480, taught by Reza Estilaei, mirrored the real-world investment environment, Stanula says.
“That was a very unique and exciting course to take in my last semester,” he says.
Meanwhile, EC 490, taught by Trung Ly, provided students the opportunity to research and analyze an economic issue of their choice, culminating in a professional research paper and presentation of their research.
His time at Poole was also complemented by opportunities to develop those important soft skills needed in the business world, Stanula says. He was part of the Economics Honors Program, which provides members with additional opportunities for work and research beyond what’s required by a course, and Stanula served as a TA as well.
“Working with hundreds of students, addressing their problems and questions about concepts in the class — that transfers to the real world,” he says.
Following graduation, Stanula will return to Nuveen in Chicago as a full-time analyst in their asset management rotational program. He has already passed level one of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and plans to complete the remaining levels while working. Long-term, he’s considering earning an MBA with the goal of reaching a senior-level position.
For students pursuing a similar path, Stanula emphasizes the importance of networking.
“Some of the most impactful opportunities — internships and others — come from conversations with professors and professionals,” he says. “Be intentional about connecting with those people early-on and show a genuine interest.”
“You’ll be surprised how willing people are to connect; Poole has such a strong and supportive environment.”