Jack Dennehy ’21, Student at UVA McIntire School of Commerce
Holy Cross Studies: Political Science Major, Finance & Banking Certificate
Interviewed by JP Cunninhgam ’23
JPC: How was your experience as a student at HC pursuing one of the business certificates?
JD: I enjoyed my experience pursuing this certificate—the Fullbridge Program especially gave me good experience in being able to research a company and present on it. Additionally, the Finance Boot Camp was particularly helpful in terms of networking and learning more about different banks and specific roles there.
JPC: Was there one workshop, class, professor, club, activity, etc. that has influenced your perspective on the professional world to the greatest extent?
JD: The Finance Boot Camp definitely did. I gained valuable insight into the financial services world by getting the opportunity to see what the average day looks like in this field across many different companies. Additionally, visiting these different banks and learning more about them was a very unique experience that I valued greatly.
JPC: During interviews, how did the certificate help you to land your first job or internship?
JD: The certificate helped to show employers that I had expressed interest in pursuing a job in financial services upon graduation, while also showing that I had been taught skills relevant to that field. The certificate along with the liberal arts education Holy Cross provides allowed me to show in interviews that I am a well-rounded individual in this sense, and ultimately helped me get an internship for the summer after my junior year.
JPC: If applicable, are there aspects of the HC mission that you continue to experience after graduating?
JD: Yes, I believe that Holy Cross’s mission statement is applicable in life after graduation, and I have learned that we are morally obligated to be just and treat others with respect. I have found that this mindset is especially important for life after college and am grateful that I got the chance to spend my four years of college at Holy Cross.
JPC: How did your experience in the Holy Cross Business Certificate Program influence your decision to pursue a master’s degree?
JD: I wanted to continue to pursue my education before entering the workforce, and began to look for Masters programs during my senior year. I would say the certificate influenced me a lot, as I started to gear towards a career in Financial Services when I started the Fullbridge program. I had initially wanted to go to law school after graduation and had picked my major in Political Science for this reason mostly. I greatly enjoyed this major, and the overall liberal arts education Holy Cross offered, yet decided to pursue other avenues after graduation. Particularly, I wanted to gain more of a technical skillset that I believed would help me transition even better into a career in financial services. I would say the certificate definitely got me on this path, in terms of wanting to continue to pursue a finance-related degree. Also, I felt that this would be a great supplement to the liberal arts degree in terms of making me a well-rounded individual entering the workforce.
JPC: What are your career goals for after graduation?
JD: I am currently in the finance track in the Master program I am in and am still seeking job opportunities in financial services. Particularly, I would like to work in New York, where I am from, or Boston, where many of my friends now live and work after graduation.