UCSD - University of California - San Diego

05/28/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/28/2026 03:08

10 Speakers, 10 Weeks, Countless Career Lessons from Fellow Tritons

Published Date

May 28, 2026

Article Content

Key Takeaways

  • UC San Diego's new 10x10 course connects students directly with alumni and industry leaders for candid conversations about careers, networking and mentorship.
  • Through 10 lectures over 10 weeks, speakers share practical lessons on resilience, leadership and navigating career pivots beyond the classroom.
  • The course reflects a growing effort by the Department of Economics to strengthen industry engagement and help students build professional connections early in their careers.

Students often hear about the importance of networking for career success - but what does that actually look like?

A new course launched by the Department of Economics in the School of Social Sciences gives students the chance to connect with accomplished professionals directly in the classroom.

Titled "10x10: Career Lessons," the class features 10 lectures by economics alumni and other professionals who share 10 lessons from their careers, offering students practical advice on how to succeed beyond what is typically taught in school.

The course first launched in winter quarter 2025 with a stellar lineup of guest speakers whose careers spanned investment banking, venture capital, entrepreneurship, real estate and pharmaceuticals. Many of the presenters were alumni of the UC San Diego School of Social Sciences, returning to campus to share lessons learned over decades in the working world.

Among them was Ken Kroner, Ph.D. '88, retired senior managing director at BlackRock and longtime UC San Diego supporter. Kroner, who received the Chancellor's Medal in 2025, was the first 10x10 speaker to address students and spoke about the importance of viewing a career as a long-term journey.

"I like to encourage young people to think about their career as a three-act play," Kroner said. "The first act is 'learn,' the second is 'earn,' and the third is 'return."

He added, "The effort put into act one is the best predictor for success in act two. But I would say, most rewarding is act three, where I am now. It's important to pay it forward for the next generation of Tritons through sharing your time, talent and treasure."

The idea for 10x10 grew out of a conversation between Kroner and Marc-Andreas Muendler, professor and chair of the Department of Economics.

Students with Marc-Andreas Muendler, (far left) professor and chair of the Department of Economics with Leilani Latimer '85, a UC San Diego alumna in political science and literature (center in red).

"We talked about things students don't learn in college but should be aware of," Muendler said. "Ken mentioned that one of the most successful talks he gives is about 10 career lessons. I asked him whether he would present it to our students, and then we started thinking about how we could turn the idea into a full course."

The concept quickly took shape: 10 speakers sharing 10 career lessons each over the course of the quarter. The name "10x10" brings the idea home.

Muendler said he is grateful for the positive impact 10x10 has already had on students.

"It's been one of the truly rewarding ideas that I was able to pursue in my time as department chair," Muendler said. "Looking back, successful careers seem natural. One of the remarkable insights from the 10x10 speakers is how they had to adapt plans, seize opportunities, or let chances go. For our students, learning how they can envision their careers, but also allow life and the people they meet to reshape them, is valuable."

The Spring 2026 lineup features leaders from finance, consulting, business, technology, real estate, public service and academia, including Deb Bronston-Culp '80, founding partner of Samothrace Partners; Jaime Lizarraga '88, former commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission; and Brian Malk, founding partner of Midtown National Group. Malk recently helped establish Brian C. Malk Hall, the new home of the Department of Economics in the School of Social Sciences, where the Spring 2026 course meets. See the sidebar for the full list of speakers.

Mentorship matters - guiding the next generation of Tritons

As expected, Kroner's 10-lessons talk provided many nuggets of wisdom, including advice on the best first job to have after college, the importance of networks and even the value of gray hair.

In earlier offerings of the course, alumni speakers shared candid lessons about career exploration, mentorship and resilience.

Economics alum Stephen Martin '02, managing director of investment banking at Goldman Sachs, reflected on his career explorations as a newly minted UC San Diego graduate.

Related content

10x10 Speakers, Spring 2026

  • Ken Kroner, Ph.D. '88 Economics
    CEO, Pluribus Labs; formerly senior managing director, BlackRock
  • Deb Bronston-Culp '80 Economics
    Founding partner, Samothrace Partners
  • Marc-Andreas Muendler
    Professor and chair of the Department of Economics
  • Chris Stomberg
    Managing director, NERA Consulting
  • David Victor
    Professor, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy; co-director, Deep Decarbonization Initiative
  • Alexis Volen
    COO, CIRE Equity
  • Chris Tolles '90 Economics
    President and COO, Transparency Analytics
  • Erich Gazaui '98 Economics
    CIO, Papa
  • Jaime Lizarraga '88 Political Science
    Former commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Brian Malk
    Founding partner, Midtown National Group
For students, the course offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from alumni and industry leaders who are willing to be candid about the choices, mistakes, pivots and relationships that shaped their careers.

"I literally thought that I could only be an accountant or a stockbroker," Martin said. "I didn't know that there were all these other jobs."

He recalled how the kindness of a colleague early in his career, while at J.P. Morgan, inspired him to mentor future Tritons and help guide them on their pathways after college.

"One of the people who helped me was this other guy at J.P. Morgan with whom I had no connection," Martin said. "He pulled me aside one day and said, 'Here's what you got to do, here's what you need to know' and laid down a plan for me. It was so cool, and I thought I should give back to other people, give them a plan."

Martin spoke candidly about what he had learned over the course of his career, including the value of creating routines, being consistent, seizing big opportunities and staying optimistic during challenging times.

"Tough times never last," he said. "Tough people do."

For students, the course offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from alumni and industry leaders who are willing to be candid about the choices, mistakes, pivots and relationships that shaped their careers.

The class also allowed Aurelio Gill, now a second-year student, to draw inspiration from alumni willing to share their hard-won wisdom.

"It's inspiring when you see someone who went to college here becoming so successful," Gill said. "I feel I can do it too."

Another memorable insight from an earlier 10x10 offering came from Leilani Latimer '85, a UC San Diego alumna in political science and literature, who reassured students that "careers can be squiggly" and encouraged them to "embrace the zigzags, pivots and plot twists." She also told the class that "curiosity is a superpower" and that "work is a team sport" requiring collaboration.

The course has proven so popular with students that the department has expanded how often it is offered. Muendler and Kroner hope classes like 10x10 - along with other industry engagement initiatives such as the Future of Finance career conference - will build greater awareness in finance, banking and many other industries about the strength of UC San Diego student talent.

For more on 10x10, check out the syllabus and course webpage.

With additional reporting from Triveni Sheshadri and Melanie Poppel.

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