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#CrusaderIntern: United Planet

Hear from #CrusaderIntern Quynh Nguyen about her experience last summer at United Planet in Boston.

What were you up to this past summer?

United Planet is a nonprofit organization in Boston, MA that promotes international volunteerism for long-term (6+ months) and short-term (1-12 weeks) programs. I work as the short-term Program Advisor and I was in charge of general administrative tasks. These tasks include speaking to volunteer inquiries by phone and email, register enrollees with the Department of State’s Safe Traveler Enrollment Program, put together packages to send out to volunteers, etc. In addition to these daily tasks, I also was involved in longer on-going projects for the organization, including creating a PowerPoint to visually demonstrate volunteer statistics (how much percentage for each age group, which county is most/least popular, what’s the most common duration of stay, etc), accumulate and compose a list of resources for pre-departure training sessions, and speak to coordinators from each country.

I would say that my most important role however is acting as a first point of contact for potential volunteers. This requires me to know basic information about all of the short term programs in order to give people accurate answers.

What was your favorite part?

What I really enjoyed most about United Planet is how close the staff is. I felt welcomed on my first day on the job and have grown more comfortable with everyone. We are all really close in age so it’s much easier to get along. There is a Social Committee that plans events outside of work so it’s nice to get to know my colleagues outside of the office.

What surprised you?

What surprised me about this organization is the way that it’s a network of roles that all depend on each other. By this, I mean that each person has his/her own work that is different from other people’s, which comes together to form a functional organization.
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Words of Wisdom from Alumni Working in Finance, Real Estate, Consulting and Accounting (Part II)

What advice would you give to a Holy Cross student looking to enter your field?

“I’ve always felt that picking an accounting firm is a lot like picking the college you want to attend.   Visit the office, and you’ll know which one feels right to you from a people and cultural perspective.   I’ve been lucky to have spent my entire career so far in accounting firms that challenge me technically and professionally, while standing next to colleagues that are also good friends.”
– Allison Egbert Snyder ’98 | ACCOUNTING

“Be flexible! Real estate does not have a well-defined career path. In the early part of my career, I was part of an established corporate finance training program that provided a clear career roadmap. After eight years of working in corporate finance, I switched into commercial/corporate real estate and realized that the path is far less certain. There are many different disciplines within real estate (brokerage, corporate, legal, investments, development, architecture, etc.), so it is important to leverage your network and meet with as many people as you can to find the opportunity that is right for you. The Holy Cross alumni network is a great place to start.”
– Colin Blair ’00 | REAL ESTATE

 

“Consulting firms are looking for individuals who are great at solving problems, intellectually curious, and have a broad skill set. While you may not jump right into consulting, my biggest advice is to start in a career that will offer the opportunity to showcase these skills, and do a great job! You may also consider business school down the line – many of the larger Consulting firms hire from MBA programs (my path reflects this, having started out in investments and moving to Strategy Consulting following business school). One last piece of advice for when you get the interview – given the amount of teamwork involved, we’ll often ask, “would I want to work on a team with this person?” – be yourself and show your energy for the role – it will go a long way. ”
– Emily Toto Sweeney ’07 | CONSULTING

“Have your own North Star. Why do you want to get into [field x]? Prioritize against that reason, rather than getting the job itself. It helps everything else fall into place.

Know your story. Practice it. After a while it will become natural, because its you. And you’ll be telling it your whole life, so you may as well get comfortable.

Talk to a lot of people. People want to help people who help themselves, so prepare for those conversations. ”

– Jonathan Greenglass ’09 | FINANCE

“It goes without saying that I would definitely recommend taking advantage of all of the finance opportunities Holy Cross has to offer (i.e. finance boot camps, finance panel discussions, various clubs etc). It is through these opportunities that you learn some of the terminology and skills needed for a career in finance. However, honing the “soft” skills that you learn at Holy Cross is in my opinion even more important. Learning how to state your opinion concisely, explain a complex topic in a simple way, problem solve, think outside of the box and present to large audiences didn’t seem important at the time but has been invaluable to me during my time at J.P. Morgan. And thinking back, it wasn’t always in my Economics classes that I honed these skills – it was in my French classes, during my semester in Washington DC, my involvement in the Chaplains’ Office etc. All parts of a Holy Cross education help you develop those skills.

I spend my days advising, speaking to and meeting with some of the wealthiest people in the world. The “soft” skills I learned at Holy Cross are instrumental in my daily job. I continue to improve these skills every day at J.P Morgan, but I will honestly say that it was Holy Cross that gave me the foundational skills to succeed in finance and that will never be forgotten.”
– Elizabeth Sundheim ’13 | FINANCE

 

“Read up – there are multiple market overviews for a variety of industries that can start to broaden your understanding beyond the books.”
– Manny Mendoza ’15 | FINANCE
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Words of Wisdom from Alumni Working in Finance, Real Estate, Consulting and Accounting

Wondering what your day-to-day activities might be like if you work in consulting, real estate, finance, or accounting? Here are skills alumni use everyday, you may want to think about strengthening these 6 things …

“I spend most of my days talking or interacting with clients. These are clients that pay us for our expertise, but want a partnership with an accounting firm that is collaborative. Our liberal arts degree at Holy Cross provides us with the invaluable skill of communication.”
– Allison Egbert Snyder ’98 | ACCOUNTING

“All of (my daily) tasks require an attention to detail and an element of people management and influencing to properly convey your message. ”
– Colin Blair ’00 | REAL ESTATE

“Adaptability is key in consulting, whether it’s handling a last minute client request or completely shifting the direction of a project to deliver better value. ”
– Emily Toto Sweeney ’07 | CONSULTING

“Grit: Not everything that needs to get done is fun…”

– Jonathan Greenglass ’09 | FINANCE

“Being proactive. I always need to be 5 steps ahead of my more senior colleagues. It is through me being proactive that I have been given numerous opportunities early in my career and have gained a lot of trust from my team.”
– Elizabeth Sundheim ’13 | FINANCE

“Communication and critical thinking are by far the most important skills. After solving the issue at hand, persuasively communicating your work product is essential.”
– Manny Mendoza ’15 | FINANCE
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ALUMNI INTERVIEW: I Was A Mathematics Major, Now I Work For The NFL

 

Meet Brian Lockhart ’96,  NFL Network Originals Programming & Development, National Football League (NFL)

In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

I am responsible for developing long form content for NFL Media, from the idea phase for shows and series all the way through execution.

What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? 

I found a summer job at a small production company in New York City between my junior and senior year to be close to my then girlfriend who was from New Jersey. Prior to graduating, and without a real plan for my future beyond a vague notion of grad school, I wrote a cold letter (no email!) to HC basketball alum Steve Anderson, (class of 1976) who was the Senior VP of Remote Production at ESPN. He responded and helped me get an interview at ESPN. (Important Note: Steve has remained a supporter and mentor throughout my career. His selflessness has inspired me to also mentor HC alums).

How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you? 

Initially, it was a horrible fit. I had quite possibly the worst production assistant job interview in the history of ESPN – after being asked the last three winners of the Vezina Trophy I asked the humorless hiring manager, “What’s the Vezina Trophy?”. But I persevered, eventually stopping the interview and making an impassioned plea highlighting my strengths as a college athlete who understood the nuanced narrative structure of SportsCenter highlights… And somehow I received and accepted a job offer during the haze of Cape Week. I started two weeks after graduation and have worked in sports television ever-since. Considering that I didn’t even know television was a career path, I would say this profession chose me. I did not choose it. Ignorance truly is bliss.

What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

Varsity basketball 1992-’96 and co-captain (’95-’96). Black Student Union Member

What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions? 

I was a mediocre at-best Mathematics major. Math had zero bearing on my career path, None. Zilch. Nada. It IS a fun fact to drop in the world of sports media to elicit strange reactions.

My mathematics degree did come in handy as an associate director at HBO Sports. I was charged with counting backwards to zero making sure we got on and off the air cleanly and didn’t hit video freezes on replays. Degree affirmed!

But Math wired me to be solution driven. I am a novice when it comes to corporate politics but I can filter out distractions and solve problems – they just happen to be creative sports-related problems. Knowing what I know now, I would have pursued a degree in religion and philosophy, striving to be a slightly darker but heftier version of Prof. Joe Lawrence.

What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work? 

Holy Cross instilled in me the love of learning. Instead of acquiring knowledge merely as a means to an end, I developed a thirst to grow and apply my Mt. St. James scholarship beyond the gates of HC.  Props to FYP (First Year Program).

As a naive seventeen year old freshman, the somewhat nebulous liberal-arts inspired question posed to our class, “How then shall we live?”

My answer: “Paycheck to paycheck”

I never seriously wrestled with this question while on campus but I didn’t forget it either. “How then shall we live?” didn’t resonate until years later – now I can’t escape it. That singular question relentlessly provokes me to make an impact – hopefully a positive one. Ultimately, it has gifted me more questions, dynamic experiences, earned values and occasional wisdom.

What was the question again? I am also good with budgeting. Thank you American Express.

What advice do you have for students on campus today? 

Know thyself.

Cease fighting everyone and everything.

Say yes – a  lot.

Collaborate.

Be a great teammate.

Give until it hurts then give some more.

Creativity is work.

Make it better.

Own your sh*t.

Enjoy the grind.

Ignore the mantras of others – know thyself. (That last answer may only be useful to my therapist).

Just in case you end up interviewing for a PA position at ESPN http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=24965
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ALUMNI INTERVIEW: I Was A Corporate Attorney, Now I…

Meet Ms. Maggio ’82, a 25+ year Beijing resident, former corporate attorney turned visual arts entrepreneur, and director of Pékin Fine Arts, a Beijing and Hong Kong based contemporary art gallery and art advisory consultancy.

What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

My decision to attend law school, become a member of the NY and MA bars and a corporate attorney, and prior to graduation from law school to intern summers in Asia; and finally, my decision to learn Chinese, spoken and written by attending first University of Hong Kong and after, Beijing Normal University, post law school. One learns and decides what is a good fit only after challenging oneself to go beyond one’s comfort zones.

What were you involved in when you were on campus?

Many things; studying, and also internships in Washington DC, including one summer internship in Senator Ted Kennedy’s office. I enjoyed learning about literature (tutorial on James Joyce; new approaches to mental illness through literature and art), feminism, and improved race relation causes.

What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

Psychology. I initially aimed at becoming a psychologist, then opted instead to go to law school. My psychology studies helped me in both of my careers as corporate lawyer and later as contemporary visual arts entrepreneur!

What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

I learned how to get along with, and how to communicate with, people from different backgrounds and regions, and the importance of diversity not only on a college campus but also in one’s life work. I also enjoyed writing and feel Holy Cross gave me a strong foundation in essay and article writing.

What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Seek out the students coming from far away places, places you have never visited, and all students from near and far of ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds not of your own. Take the time to get to know them and their stories, backgrounds and ambitions. Celebrate difference and diversity on a daily basis. Learn – really learn – a foreign language!
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#CrusaderIntern: Prepare + Prosper

Name: Mae Hougo ’18
Organization: Prepare + Prosper

Prepare + Prosper is a free tax and financial services non-profit based in St. Paul, Minnesota. During the tax season Prepare + Prosper sets up free tax clinics all around the metro area, which people below a certain income can come and receive tax help from our trained volunteers. The organization also encourages people to see their tax refund as a “money moment.” Their refund could be used to set up a savings account for the unforeseeable emergencies in life.

What were you up to this past summer?

I am the outreach intern here at Prepare + Prosper. I am working with the communications staff to inform the community about Prepare + Prospers services, and a few specific tax credits. In Minnesota there is a tax credit for families with children in grades K-12 to write off the school supplies and materials they buy. The summer is the perfect time of year to encourage families to save their receipts. My job has been to contact the principals of schools in the area, as well as local organizations that might be having back-to-school events. I send the schools and organizations materials and information about the tax credit and our services.

I also work with on the Claim It Campaign, which is a state wide campaign informing the public about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is a federal tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. This tax credit is the number one way to fight poverty in our country. I work with our Campaign Manager here at Prepare + Prosper in restructuring our materials so that they are useful, engaging tools for our viewers. I am also helping the organization become better connected with counties around the state in order to reach more people eligible for the credit.

What was your favorite part?

My favorite part of my internship was going into the community and sharing with people how our services can help them become more financially stable. Whether it is at a local shelter, or a veteran’s event, I enjoy the one-on-one time I can spend with members of the community. I hope that my doing so incentivizes more people to use our tax and financial services, which can allow them to get ahead.

What surprised you?

What has surprised me the most is how dedicated the network of volunteers is to Prepare + Prosper’s mission. I have been fortunate enough to attend a volunteer appreciation event. The volunteers dedicate so much of their time to this organization, and a lot of them donate money as well. They see how a tax refund can better a life, and continue to volunteer year after year.
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My Alumni Job Shadowing Experience | Law

Full Name: Andrew Truong
Class Year: 2017
Major: Political Science and Spanish
Shadowing Visit Site: Cetrulo LLP

Describe your visit and what did you gain from the experience?

I arrived at Cetrulo LLP in the morning and met with Mr. Bryan Abramoske, an attorney at the firm and my alumni match. We first went to his office and discussed both what he does and what the firm does in general. Afterwards, we took a tour of the office and Mr. Abramoske was dedicated to having me meet employees all around the firm to give me as many different perspectives as possible, from paralegals to partners, and even a judge. I was able to meet various HC alumni that work at the firm as well, who all also shared their perspectives and advice about transitioning to life after graduation.

I feel that I was able to see many perspectives on what a career in law could look like, and what paths people had taken from undergrad to where they are today. This all helped show the various potential options that I could take. I also felt that I connected very well with Mr. Abramoske, who shared a lot of wisdom and advice with me, and even lent me a book he thought I’d enjoy reading. He offered to be a resource for me for any questions I might have in the future.

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans/goals?

This experience definitely reaffirmed my future career goals of pursuing a career in law. By shadowing at Cetrulo, I was able to see and experience a mid-sized private law firm. I had previous experience working in nonprofit and small private firms, so this experience provided me with a different perspective and option of what my future could look like.

What is some helpful advice your alumni host shared with you?

Some of the most helpful advice my alumni host shared with me was to keep an open mind regarding the future and career plans. Even if you have an idea of the path you want to take, things almost never go exactly as planned. So, while having a direction to move towards is good, being flexible and open to change on the path is good, because you’ll gain a lot of knowledge and experience in the process and will ultimately end up where you want to be.

Why would you recommend the Alumni Job Shadowing Program to other students?

The Alumni Job Shadowing Program is a fantastic opportunity for students of all grade levels. I participated in the program both my sophomore year and this past year as a senior and definitely found the experience worthwhile both times. By participating in the program you get to see and experience what a profession is like, what it entails, and what it is like to be in the position firsthand. You may get reaffirmation of a career choice that you’re looking into, or you might realize that a certain career is not what you want to do. Which is also just as, if not more, helpful. You might find an area or position you hadn’t thought of that you end up really liking and want to pursue afterwards. The more experience with and exposure you have to the real world, the better prepared you are to move towards your professional goals after undergrad. In addition, you get the opportunity to connect personally with another HC alum who wants to help you further yourself on your career path that can also serve as a resource beyond your shadowing experience.
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Meet Physics Student Dan O’Brien

 

Name: Dan O’Brien
Class Year: 2017
Title: Research Assistant
Organization Name: Georgetown University

In one sentence, what does your job entail?

This position entails implementing hands-on research in a microtechnology lab.

What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

I originally intended to conduct research here at Holy Cross, but wanted to apply my physics degree to a research project in medicine. With this in mind, I applied to Research Opportunities for Undergraduates positions, and the lab that offered me the job conducts intriguing and progressive research in the field.

What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I participated in and served in leadership positions for the Society of Physics Students, and was a member of the Science Ambassadors. Additionally, I helped to found a student-run advising program for students in the sciences.

What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

As a physics student, I learned problem solving skills that will help me in any field in which I choose to use them. The physics faculty at Holy Cross opened my eyes to the importance of research in medicine, and I am thankful for the career lessons they have taught me.

What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Once again, the problem solving and time management skills are two “intangibles,” per se, that I use in my everyday work. In my research position, the skills that I aggregated in laboratory courses at Holy Cross were equally crucial.

What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Get involved, be real, and follow your passions.
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My Alumni Job Shadowing Experience: Communications

 

Full Name: Michael Morigi
Class Year: 2019
Major: Political Science, Economics
Shadowing Visit Site: GE Communications; Deirdre Latour (CCO of GE)

Describe your visit and what did you gain from the experience?

My visit was different than what I expected, but in a good way. When I was walking over to GE’s offices in Midtown Manhattan, I was expecting to essentially be following my host, Deirdre Latour (CCO of GE), for the entire day. If she was busy or working on sensitive topics, I expected to be attached to either her assistant or one of her team members.

In reality, Ms. Latour and her assistant scheduled a day that would turn out to be much more interesting. During my time at the GE offices, another Holy Cross sophomore and I spent one-on-one time with several young GE Communications employees from various divisions of the Communications team. During those informational Q&A sessions, we learned about their perceptions of GE and their work, and learned about how they navigated the post-undergraduate world.

Afterwards, Ms. Latour brought us to a GE 2016 recap and team-building workshop. From there, I got to see the full culture of the Communications team, and how various individual personalities interacted with each other.

When reflecting upon my shadowing day, I believe the real value-added was the exposure to another possible career path, a career path in which I can leverage my political science, critical thinking and communication skills. In addition, I finished the day with a better perception of GE itself.

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans/goals?

I do not believe this drastically altered my career aspirations, but my visit did convince me that my political science and economics double major could be used in fields beyond just government or finance. Many of the employees I talked to during the visit had degrees in public policy or political science. Some even came from finance backgrounds. Regardless of major, it seems like as long as you are actually interested in the subject matter and can pitch yourself right, your choice of major is not as consequential as some people make it seem.

What is some helpful advice your alumni host shared with you?

Ms. Latour was unable to spend too much one-on-one time with us during our visit (she was dealing with high-level meetings during the morning and, in the afternoon, she was leading the workshop). However, a reoccurring theme amongst the employees was the importance of finding what you love to do, and their encouragement for us to try any opportunity that sounds interesting or potentially enjoyable.

Why would you recommend the Alumni Job Shadowing Program to other students?

I would recommend the Alumni Job Shadowing Program to other students for a few reasons. One is that it is a great networking opportunity. Do not expect to get some sort of miraculous internship offer, but instead think of this shadowing opportunity as an informational interview. By putting yourself out there in a true work environment, you have the opportunity to network with not only the alumni but also various co-workers. If you play your cards right, you may be able to leverage these relationships going forward.

Second, it is an invaluable opportunity to see if a specific firm or field is right for you. Going into this shadow program, I was unsure if I would get any value or satisfaction out of shadowing a communications team. However, I was able to gain first-hand exposure to not only how the communications department of a multi-national firm works, but also how a real work-place team functions and flows.
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ALUMNI INTERVIEW: I Was A Political Science Major, Now I…

Name: Payton Shubrick
Class Year: 2015
Title: R&D Lab Manager (Research and Development Lab Manager)
Organization Name: MassMutual
Major: Political Science

What does your job entail?

My role is to manage R&D activities for the company, specific to home office employees. What that means is I attempt to solve business problems leveraging emerging technologies as well as exploring technologies that could impact our industry in the next 12-18 months. What does that mean in plain English? I look for the return on investment a technology can offer. Can we save 2 million dollars be leveraging VR for training sessions as opposed to the current model of paying facilitators and having in classroom sessions?

How has your Holy Cross education contributed to your success?

My Holy Cross education has contributed to my success in many ways. At Holy Cross, I was able to grow – socially, intellectually, ethically, etc. I often find myself harnessing skills that I developed in both the classroom and student activities, like SGA and BSU, to propel me forward professionally. At Holy Cross, I was able to develop a greater sense of awareness of who I was as a person and how I can impact the world around me. With that mindset, you can rethink traditional business problems with many lenses to come up with a solution and then be able to present that idea in a well-written document or verbal presentation.

What skills are most important in your day to day work?

The most important skill in my work is being able to check, adjust, and pivot. Unlike traditional career paths with technology, you can come up with a solution and then discard the entire thing for something better because a smart algorithm can now be applied. This means you can’t grow too attached to one solution or one way to solve a problem. Everything is a fair game all the time and things change rapidly, so accept change early and fast to make life easier later.

What advice would you give to a Holy Cross student looking to enter your field?

Start studying trends in technology now. Virtual/ augmented reality, chatbots, algorithms, autonomous driving cars, artificial intelligence are real and going to change the world around us. In your day to day, life start to think about how things can simplify your life and delivery information before you know you want it.