Stuart S. Keitz

I attended CCNY for free and initially wanted to be an engineer. I found I did not like engineering. After the school gave me an aptitude test, I switched to biochemistry and finished at night, working during the day in international trade. Upon graduation, I interviewed at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC, but found that I was already making more than I could as a researcher. I liked my adopted field. This gave me a new perspective; I realized that my degree opened doors and I could enjoy and succeed in another field. Ultimately, I found myself a division director, supervising PhDs at the US Department of Commerce in Washington, DC. I felt that further education would enhance my position, so I obtained an MBA from Johns Hopkins University. I had a wonderful career working in 15 countries, resolving trade problems, negotiating international trade agreements, and advising the administration in Washington, DC, on trade and industry issues.