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There’s a pivotal scene in “The Big Short,” when Michael Burry, played by Christian Bale, boldly decides to bet against the housing market during a sit-down with Goldman Sachs executives.

“Based on prevailing sentiment, the market, the banks, and popular culture, yes, it’s a foolish investment,” he states. “But everyone’s wrong.”

The executives laugh it off at first, but after taking full advantage of the impending economic collapse in America, Burry went on to make a fortune.

From an early age, Henrry Lavariega was captivated by movie scenes like these depicting powerful financial players and executives. A first-generation college student whose father started out working in construction after coming to the U.S. from Mexico, he was also driven to make his ambitions a reality after watching his father build a successful construction business of his own. One day, Lavariega often told himself, he’d be working in New York City’s financial district.

Lavariega came to �������� as an economics major and, in August, joined the School of Management (SOM) through its Master of Business Administration 4+1 program. He’s also pursuing double concentrations in management information systems and business analytics.

“I love the world of finance; there is nothing like working in such a highly lucrative, volatile and yet extremely versatile environment that sectors off in so many different areas — from wealth management to investment and commercial banking, hedge funds, private equity or even commercial real estate,” Lavariega said.

Through his consistent involvement with the Chartered Alternative Investments Analysts Association, Lavariega has relished the chance to work with SOM professors entrenched in research in areas like alternative investments and asset management.

“One of the best things about SOM is that you have a chance to do anything. No matter the concentration one pursues, it doesn’t mean the door is closed for other opportunities,” he said. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to be able to network and meet great leaders within our university and professionals in the financial services industry who once attended ��������. The opportunities to listen and learn from professional advice and gain those versatile technical skills that can bring you a huge advantage in the job market.”

Along with setting ambitious lifetime goals, Lavariega also learned some challenging lessons. That’s why he seized a chance to pitch in with ��������’s Transfer Student Success program, mentoring sophomore and junior transfer students in SOM and Harpur College through core subjects ranging from microeconomics to statistics and financial accounting.

Lavariega’s message to student mentees is simple: any experience can be good experience.

He has advised them not to get discouraged if they feel behind on networking opportunities compared to others who started their business degrees earlier but also stressed not to wait. If you’re not networking by your sophomore year, he said, you’re already behind students from other business schools who have a tremendous number of alumni throughout the financial services industry.

Lavariega has also encouraged mentees to take advantage of the guidance offered by SOM’s Career Services team, especially since corporate hiring practices often mean hiring for positions a year or more in advance.

To build his leadership experience, Lavariega served as a teaching assistant for 60 students in a Principles of Microeconomics course, which forced him to step outside his comfort zone through public speaking and presentations. He’s also played an active role in the Street Smarts Finance Society, a nationwide association centered on career development in the financial services industry.

During the spring 2025 semester, Lavariega is working with a real estate company to learn about acquiring investment commercial properties and project management.

While his skill set is less focused on construction than that of his family members, Lavariega has been thrilled by the opportunities he’s had at ��������. He wants to follow his father’s example of putting in the work needed to realize a career goal.

“You’ve got to tread water before you can get into these big places; a lot of these firms want to see leadership experience and see who stands out as a genuinely caring person who will maximize their efforts in the workplace. They want to see people taking the initiative to balance the 12–20 academic credits and give back to the community,” Lavariega said.

“I’ve been inspired by seeing all these other students taking on so many other roles within the school to build that experience,” he added. “That’s why I’ve learned the biggest thing you can do for yourself is simply ‘learning the ropes’ so you can pay it forward by helping out others when the time comes.”