Enia Gyan (BBA ’09) arrived at FIU from Harare, Zimbabwe with dreams of becoming an architect. But it was a finance class taught by Marcos Kerbel, a distinguished banker and longtime assistant teaching professor of finance that would chart an entirely new course for Gyan and lead to a successful career in banking law and corporate finance.
Now an associate in the New York office of global law firm Fried Frank, Gyan credits Kerbel’s teaching and mentorship for sparking her interest in finance and instilling lifelong values of leadership and integrity.
“I really loved his message on integrity,” Gyan said. “He used to say, ‘If you’re a chief executive without integrity, you’re just a chef that’s going to cook the books.’ That stuck with me. I realized then that sophistication means nothing if you don’t have ethics behind it.”
Gyan switched her major to finance after taking Kerbel’s commercial banking course. She recalled how captivating his course was- from learning about the long history of banking to the structure of bank balance sheets, he transformed her outlook.
After graduating with honors from FIU, Gyan landed her first corporate job as a bank examiner thanks to an opportunity she says came about after Kerbel recommended her to a contact at the State of Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation.
“Professor Kerbel has worked with many bankers and regulators in South Florida for decades,” said Gyan. “For me to have been able to benefit from his extensive business network and learn of opportunities that I would have not known of otherwise is pretty incredible and something I'm very grateful for.”
Her time as a bank examiner inspired her to go to law school after witnessing the complex legal and regulatory processes behind bank failures and closures. That experience eventually led her to represent financial institutions and borrowers in high-stakes corporate finance transactions both in the U.S. and internationally.
But Gyan’s connection to FIU and Kerbel didn’t end with graduation. The two remain in close contact, and she recently returned to campus to speak to students in his banking class.
“To me, FIU and Miami will always be home,” Gyan said. “When I’m in Miami, I feel accepted, connected and celebrated.”
Her advice to current students? “Be present. Be a sponge. Build credibility by doing good work. And stay connected—you never know where any one relationship will take you.”
Gyan’s story is a testament to the power of mentorship, resilience and the lasting impact of a university community that believes in its students. “There’s no substitute for time,” Gyan said. “At FIU, the time I spent and the people I met have shaped the trajectory of my entire career.”