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Name: Brooke Brady-Cronce
Major: History of Art and Fine Arts with a concentration in Printmaking
Hometown: Wauwatosa, Wis.
Future Plans: I am joining Prudential Financial as a Group Insurance Premier Salesperson.

Tell us about your academic journey at Bryn Mawr.

I came in pretty sure that I wanted to be an art history major. I loved art all throughout high school. However, since this is a liberal arts school, I wanted to try other types of departments and courses. I tried French for my language requirement, psychology for science, and calculus and economics for math. Even though I loved art, I knew I should probably try to branch out.

So I picked things that were totally different. I’m not a huge math person, which is partially why I didn’t go into economics, but I did really like the principles of finance. That’s what inspired me to go into finance roles.

Then I took a printmaking class in my second semester here. It was my first time doing it, and it was just awesome. I said, “I’m going to major in that,” and I picked up a second major. I just thought, when else am I going to have access to a full print studio?

What were some other highlights of your time at Bryn Mawr?

That’s tough because I’ve had a lot of good highlights. I studied abroad in Berlin, which was amazing. I don’t think I could have done it without the support of Bryn Mawr, not only academically, but confidence-building-wise. I developed that feeling of “yes, I can tackle this here. I can go to a country where I don’t speak the language. I have no experience, but I can figure it out.”

I got to do work behind the scenes with a few museums, and I took a lot of economics and international business classes. I learned what life is like in places other than America, especially since I travelled a lot–to France, Sweden, Morocco, Austria, and Hungary.

My favorite class I ever took here was Money and Banking in the economics department. It was so cool to learn about stock markets and bonds, and it really solidified my interest in finance.

How do you think Bryn Mawr has prepared you for your future plans?

There are a lot of things. Even though my major might not seem like a typical path of preparation to go into insurance and finance, I’d say one of the big things I learned here was confidence–the self-assurance that I can do it. I can excel in any area I put my mind to.

When it comes down to more practical skills, I would say research and presentations. I was able to present at a conference just a few weeks ago at St. Joseph’s University, representing Bryn Mawr’s art history department. It’s great to learn how to present and share; those are skills that carry over well into sales.

What advice do you have for incoming members of the Class of 2029?

Broaden your horizons! Try lots of different things because you truly never know what you’ll fall in love with, and there’s no such thing as a bad class at Bryn Mawr. I would also say: don’t put too much pressure on yourself to pick the right major for your future career, because you never know where you’ll end up. You can truly do anything you put your mind to. Your major doesn’t have to box you in.

Also, there are a lot of resources. I’ve done a lot with the Career and Civic Engagement Center. I’m also a Forte Campus Ambassador, so I help with building resumes and learning how to sell yourself. Whatever you do, there are resources at Bryn Mawr to help you succeed.

What are you most excited about?

It sounds weird, but I’m most excited about working. I’m moving to a new city, starting my career, and getting my first apartment. I know that there will be challenges in a new environment, but I feel ready.

Explore History of Art at Bryn Mawr

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