Marci Cohen W'88

What did you study at Penn and when did you graduate? 

I graduated in 1988 with a double concentration in accounting and entrepreneurial management. 

What were you involved with as an undergraduate?

In addition to Wharton Women, I was part of SPEC Concerts – we were in charge of organizing the Fall and Spring Fling concerts every year. One of my favorite moments was when I was in charge of the publicity for an Elvis Costello concert. I arranged for a mural to be painted on an adjacent wall to publicize the event, and it contributed to the concert being a huge success.  

What advice do you wish you had known when you were an undergraduate?

If you want to pursue a non-traditional career, read the trait journal of that industry. If I had known this when I was an undergraduate, I would have read Billboard magazines and used my Wharton connection to reach out to executives in the music industry. 

What Has Your Career Path Looked Like?

I have definitely had a very unusual path for a Wharton graduate. After graduation, I got into music journalism, and I used my experiences from SPEC Concerts to make connections in the industry. After a while, I realized that this wasn’t the right fit for me, and I became a librarian because I really liked research. However, after seeing The Church in concert, I  knew that I wanted to continue in the music industry. I got an internship making websites for Rolling Stone before returning to a traditional librarianship at Berklee College of Music. After getting my master’s in music from Tufts University, I became the Assistant Head of the music library at Boston University, and I am able to apply my understanding of business concepts from my Wharton education to better understand the business side of operating a library. 

What Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment of Your Career?

I had the opportunity to lead a “train the trainer” workshop on library collection development, and it was something that I was able to really take ownership of and further develop my presentation skills. 

Would You Say That Being A Woman Has Affected Your Career Trajectory?

I am not blatantly aware of being held back because I am female, and I have not faced outright discrimination, but I have seen the results of implicit bias. I have also seen more women without kids succeed than women with kids, and it frustrates me that this is a problem in our society. 

How do you balance your personal life with your professional development?

My father is my role model, and I follow his model of work-life balance: “When you leave work for the day, you leave work for the day”. I will periodically check my emails when I’m at home, but I will wait until I get back to work to respond.

Given your journey, do you have any advice for our members as they begin exploring careers and internships? 

Make sure you network and get involved in professional organizations – this definitely helped facilitate my career success. Even before going into job interviews, I would know the hiring manager through networking, and it helped me be a preferred candidate for the position.