Walking away from a lucrative job in finance is difficult. For Kasthuri Henry, an ethical obligation became more important than money.
As director of financial planning and analysis for a global mortgage-banking firm, Henry determined that some of the firm's practices were unethical. But when she tried to change them, the firm resisted. Rather than compromise her ethics and values, Henry walked away from the job ... and into an online education at Walden University to study the confluence of ethics and finance.
Experience Meets Education at Walden University
When she began working for herself, Henry knew that education would be important. She opened a financial consulting practice, attracting clients with her determined belief that ethics and values can actually attract prosperity in business rather than limiting it. At the same time, Henry also began to pursue an online degree--a PhD in Applied Management and Decision Sciences--at Walden University.
Ethics plays a big role in Henry's PhD research. "My research area is looking at ethical leadership in finance," she says, "specifically, looking at how we got into the current mortgage and credit crisis, how a lack of ethics led to it, and how we make sure this doesn't happen again."Her experience in the financial industry also informs her degree research.
Online Education Leads to Social Change
In Henry's native Sri Lanka, financial advisors stand at the forefront of the community. "When a child is born, it's the priest and the banker who are there because banks are so foundational to the progress of the society," she points out. "Banks are not about making a profit. They're about helping the community grow. Making a profit is a side result of that."
Her upbringing is one reason that Henry considers the ethical ramifications of finance before profit.
Growing up in a civil war showed Henry how people's decisions put a society in peril. "I knew what greed did to people. I saw what the desire for power did to people," she says. "I also saw how cruel human beings can be, and I saw what successful people did to transcend all of that and make a difference. So I'm a product of a country that was embroiled in a 30-year civil war, and I see the world through the other end of the spectrum."
Choosing Walden University made sense to Henry, who considered the values and mission the school upholds when making her decision. "The university's social change mission aligns very much with my reason for seeking a PhD.," she says.
From Finance to Teaching at Walden University
Making a difference is Henry's definition of success. With that drive and an online degree in hand, she hopes to continue teaching. "I can make a big difference in the classroom," she says. "And I can cross-pollinate from the consulting arena to the classroom and vice versa. They'll enrich each another because neither exists in a vacuum."
Her unique concept of success drives Henry to work harder. "Have I made a difference or have I just taken up space at the end of this journey?" she asks. "To me, success is not measured in terms of the titles I've had, the amount of money I've made, or the positions I've held. It's not about power. It's not about anything worldly."
Pursue your own unique definition of success with an online degree at Walden University.
