Ben Eisenstein, Then and Now

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What has happened in your life since you left SDSU 10 years ago?

I was excited about the possibilities of being a brand manager at a consumer-packaged goods firm like Kellogg's when I was studying for my MBA. Ultimately, I realized I could do most of the things I wanted to do for a national name right here by promoting the SDSU brand.  

Where are you working now? What is your title? 

I am associate director, marketing communications and special projects for Aztec Shops at SDSU. We oversee the retail and food and beverage operations on campus. While I was studying at Fowler, I was the SDSU Bookstore marketing manager. I can't imagine I would have gotten the promotion without earning my MBA. 

 What was your favorite memory from SDSU? 

I had a great time with my team in Professor Saghafi's international marketing class surveying passers-by on the Pacific Beach boardwalk about taste perceptions of tap water vs. bottled. One of my teammates on that project is a great friend to this day.   

What was the most important lesson you learned at SDSU? 

Everything is possible with focus and hard work. I had a difficult time getting admitted to business school because, although I had strong verbal scores, my quantitative scores were weak. I would not have passed my accounting or financial management courses without many overnights in the University Library 24/7 Center. I am glad for those overnights because I am nearly as confident now with Excel spreadsheets as I am with Word docs.

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What advice would you give current SDSU business students?

You get what you put in. Meet and socialize with as many of your classmates as you can and join student organizations. Someday, people in your network will have a connection for a job interview, or you will have one for them.