Family’s Irish Legacy Guides Student's Academic Journey

When it comes to making significant life decisions, Erin Ospeck (MSF ’22, ND ’21) has always drawn strength from the guidance of her family. When choosing where to go for her undergraduate education, for example, Ospeck wanted to honor her Irish heritage, which is deeply rooted in her grandparents’ origins in Ireland. Moreover, her uncle is a Double Domer, earning his bachelor’s from Notre Dame in 1986 and an MBA in 1989.

“I went to my first Notre Dame football game at age 9,” Ospeck stated. “I’ve been cheering for the Fighting Irish my whole life. It was an obvious choice for me to attend school there.”

The influence of family extended beyond her college choice. Initially swayed by her mother’s nursing profession, Ospeck embarked on a path in science during her undergraduate studies. However, as she progressed academically, her father’s enterprising nature sparked a profound shift in her aspirations. Inspired by his entrepreneurial endeavors, she transitioned to business analytics with a minor in innovation and entrepreneurship, earning her bachelor’s degree in 2021.

“While my father worked as an engineer in the auto industry, he also engaged in various business ventures, all of which exposed me to the business world,” Ospeck said. “In 2008, he started AuburnJames Winery in St. Helena, California. I was involved with harvest, bottling, and, later, the hospitality side of the business. The people, the operations, and the many factors contributing to the building of something successful continually intrigued me.”

In addition to studying business, Ospeck was a five-year member of the Notre Dame Women’s Soccer team. Unfortunately, her sophomore season was cut short by an injury, which resulted in her gaining another year of eligibility.

“Recovering from that obstacle actually gave me a gift,” Ospeck said. “That bonus year of eligibility guided me to explore the graduate programs offered through the Mendoza College of Business.”

She found the Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program a great fit. Designed for students of all majors looking to expand their knowledge of finance, the MSF program was the perfect addition to the business analytics and entrepreneurship skills she gained as an undergraduate.

From the program’s start, Ospeck quickly formed close bonds with her small cohort of classmates, and she credits her professors for keeping them engaged in the material.

“The faculty cared so much about all of us,” she said. “Their office hours were consistently packed, and they were always there to help us learn. If they didn’t have an answer to a question, they would connect us to the person who did.”

Ospeck enjoyed working with the faculty so much that she became a teaching assistant in the program – a role she said was highly beneficial to her education.

“Being a teaching assistant offered me an invaluable opportunity to reinforce the concepts I learned in class,” Ospeck said. “The additional time spent in this role served as a refresher for the course material, which led to a much deeper understanding and comprehension of the subject matter.”

Ospeck took the knowledge she gained from the MSF program to launch her career as an analyst at Constitution Capital Partners, a private equity firm just outside Boston. “The knowledge I gained from the MSF program is essential to my current role at Constitution,” Ospeck said. “To get an MSF and learn enough to work in the finance industry says a lot about the quality of the instruction. I felt very confident going into my first day of this job.”