Tag: business career community

Name: Chris Hodgens, CPA

Class Year: 2017

Title: Audit & Assurance Senior 2

Organization Name: Deloitte & Touche LLP

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

As a public accountant, I investigate client financial data to evaluate its validity on behalf of the Board of Directors and Company Shareholders.

 

2. 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?

When I arrived at Holy Cross, I did not have accounting on my radar at all. By the time second semester of my first year rolled around, I had made friends with several people in my Montserrat class/cluster. Through these friends, I had heard great things about Prof. O’Connor’s Financial Accounting class and decided to register – and the rest is history as they say.

 

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was an active member in campus ministry, SPUD, and also worked in Dinand.

 

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

Accounting. I was lucky enough to major in a subject that has a somewhat predictable pipeline to public accounting. Through my accounting professors (shoutout to Prof. O’Connor, Baldiga, Teitel, and Sandstrom!) and the Center for Career Development, I was provided with ample opportunities to network with professionals (and HC alumni) from the “Big 4” public accounting firms.

 

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

Without a doubt, the amount of writing that I did in all of my classes was hugely beneficial. Many people think “accounting” and assume that I work in a dimly lit room with a calculator – not so! The audit profession (and accounting in general) requires a high degree of analysis into what the numbers really mean to the different stakeholders – so communicating that information is key. In fact, a large portion of my day is comprised of sending emails to clients, communicating the status of work to my direct superiors and to clients, and drafting memos to substantiate identified risks, understanding of the business, etc.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

I would encourage everyone to start thinking about life post-college early on – attend the career fairs, alumni/industry panels, etc. Have conversations with your professors – many of whom started their careers in the industries/topics they now teach about – to get some additional perspectives. For my accounting major friends, make it a point to attend recruiting events and introduce yourself to campus recruiters from Deloitte and the other “Big 4” accounting firms. Each firm has leadership programs for sophomores to attend and get a feel for the culture at each firm – be sure to apply to these. These programs often lead to an internship offer for the following summer – so it pays to start building these relationships early.

 

Name: Michael Morigi

Class Year: 2019

Title: Analyst

Organization Name: Partners Capital

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I research hedge fund investment opportunities and build/manage multi-asset class portfolios for clients.

 

2. 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?

Early in senior year, I was connected to Partners Capital through my friend and fellow HC alumnus, Carson Marsh (Class of ‘17). Carson and I knew each other from Finance Club and he thought that this opportunity would fit well with my interests. After conducting my own due diligence, I thought Partners Capital would be a great fit due to the analytical nature of the work, flat organizational structure that would allow me to impact the business early in my tenure, and opportunity to manage portfolios on behalf of sophisticated, mission-driven and global clients. As I reflect on my first two years in the role, not only have I been able to work on strategic projects for the firm – such as quantifying how we think our hedge fund investments might perform in periods of market stress, or redesigning our firmwide municipal bond allocations – but I’ve also had the opportunity to work directly with managing directors / partners of the firm and personally present my work to the broader team.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was involved with the Pre-Business Program through programs such as the Finance Club and HC Capital / the Student Investment Fund. I was also a resident assistant and served on SGA.

 

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

I was a double major in economic and political science. My work in political science focused on international relations, which fit well with my love for history but also provided me with the insights to better understand how the world “works”. My economics major contributed a lot to my political science work, but it also provided me with relevant experiences and skills for my current job through classes such as Financial Economics and Industrial Organization.

 

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

The critical thinking skills I developed at Holy Cross are critical to my day-to-day work at Partners Capital. As an example, I work on the portfolio management team for multiple clients and must constantly evaluate potential investment actions to optimize results. Global markets are always changing and there are often second or third-order implications for any investment plan that must be considered, particularly when managing large portfolios to specific mandates. Additionally, time management and adaptability are key skills which were tested and developed during my time at HC and have served me well in my current role, especially amid the height of the Covid-19 disruptions last March and April.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

If you see an opportunity to get involved or if there is some organization / internship, etc. that you are interested in – do it. Holy Cross provides you with a wealth of opportunities and if you aren’t finding something that you are looking for, the Center for Career Development can help; I used to go into the office so often I’m surprised they didn’t kick me out! I would also say don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni. I found Partners Capital through our network but I’ve also had the opportunity to speak with so many interesting people thanks to the connections Holy Cross provides. If you have an interest in some field or role, chances are someone from Holy Cross knows it. Finally – please make an effort to study abroad. I realize Covid-19 has complicated things, but I can’t stress enough how fulfilling and memorable my time abroad was in Russia (Maymester) or Trinity (full-year study abroad). If anything, it’s a conversation starter for interviews!

Name: Christina Doherty

Class Year: 2020

Title: Audit & Assurance Staff

Organization Name: Deloitte

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

I work on a Mutual Fund engagement team out of the Deloitte Boston office and spend my days preparing workpapers in excel for the funds currently under audit, checking in with other staff and seniors on my team with any questions I or they may have and reaching out to our client to request any further support we may need for the audit.

 

2. 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? 

 Beginning Sophomore year I attended all the recruiting events the accounting firms held on campus. The more people you can meet, the better off you will be in making a decision for what firm best fits you!

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

During my time at Holy Cross I was involved in both SPUD and Purple Key Society.

 

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

 I double majored in Accounting and Psychology! I actually went into college thinking I wanted to study finance and quickly changed my mind after my first accounting class. I transferred to Holy Cross sophomore year after learning more about the reputation the accounting program holds and the recruiting efforts on campus from the Big 4.

 

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

There is a common misconception that accounting just involves numbers, but I think the biggest skill I developed at Holy Cross was how to communicate effectively – you wouldn’t believe how many emails you send daily!

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Connect with as many alumni as possible. Speaking to as many alumni as I did at different recruiting events helped me make the decision with what firm I wanted to intern at and ultimately work full time for. I also think its important to note that just because you choose to be an accounting major doesn’t mean you need to get your CPA and work for a Big 4. Being an accounting major can open a ton of different doors for finance jobs as well!

Name: Cameron Lawson

Class Year: 2017

Title: Economist

Organization Name: National Development

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

Evaluating, acquiring, improving, and ultimately selling existing real estate and development land.

 

2. 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?  

The Holy Cross Real Estate Panel is where I met James, Colin, Katie, and Paul, who coached me throughout the job search process and ultimately helped me get started at National. I am extremely thankful for their (and others) support.  While at Holy Cross, I attended several of the on-campus and off-site events organized by the Pre-Business Program and the Careers Department including but not limited to NYC Finance Boot camp, Mock Super day, Real Estate Panel, Excel and Argus Boot camp, and Marketing Communication and Sales Workshop.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a member of the Holy Cross Real Estate Club, the Holy Cross Finance Club, and the Men’s Hockey Team. I attended many Pre-Business Program workshops, presentations, and events. I also particularly enjoyed the annual Working for Worcester ‘build day’ –an event that I still attend each year.

 

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

The economics major helped me better understand the “why” behind changing trends in real estate and global financial markets. To this day I enjoy studying economics.

 

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

Problem-solving and communication skills.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today? 

Work hard, stay out of trouble, and take advantage of all of the wonderful resources that Holy Cross has to offer.

Name: Joe Darcy

Class Year: 2011

Title: Principal

Organization Name: IDEA Fund Partners

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I am a Venture Capitalist, meaning that I meet with entrepreneurs from around the country to hear their pitches and help my team evaluate which companies to invest in through buying a small percentage of the business in exchange for cash.

2. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

At HC I played Club Hockey for 4 years along, served as an RA for 3 years, and participated in the Summer Business Program. I even played in a small band that performed at 10 Spot and Battle of the Bands!  

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

I studied Economics with a German Minor while at Holy Cross. I knew I was fascinated by how markets worked, and enjoyed the complexities of economics – blending so many different factors together, and impacting every corner of the business world (and broader society). As a VC, the most important factors we look for in a business is a large, growing market with a robust, comprehensive team – all things very complementary to the topics learned at HC.

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

The two skills I developed at HC which I use on a daily basis are thinking entrepreneurially and leveraging my network. With the Club Hockey team, we were on the brink of collapse, so I came in as a Sophomore and took over leadership of the Club. Creatively solving problems is an invaluable skill regardless of career path. In terms of leveraging my network, the beauty of HC is the tight knit community you develop on The Hill, and this culture of “Giving First” is in the DNA of the startup community as well.

5. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Never lose your intellectual curiosity, and start networking early. The Holy Cross network is incredibly powerful, and nearly any HC alum will have a coffee chat with you. Be inquisitive, ask more than you speak, and always look to further your learning. Happy to chat with any of you!

Name: Melissa Cummings

Class Year: 1992

Title: EVP and Chief Customer Officer

Organization Name: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

Lead the company’s business lines, responsible for growth and retention overseeing sales, account management, product development, marketing and brand, digital assets, operations, customer service and our retail footprint. 

2. 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 answered a job ad in the newsletter the HC Career Placement Office sent to new graduates for a job in NYC at a healthcare public relations firm. The hiring manager was a Holy Cross alum and she could attest to the value of the Holy Cross curriculum relative to thinking critically, writing effectively, considering alternatives and communicating with meaning.  We connected right away given our shared experience and preparation.  Public Relations was a great initial exposure to job that required strong writing, strong communication and creative skills My client base was an array of pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies and my “clients” were product managers in those firms, most of whom had a MBA.  I knew I could give better counsel to my clients if I had a richer appreciation of all the levers a product manager considered, beyond just public relations, so I attended business school and chose a degree specializing in healthcare management, which at the time was a newer and growing MBA discipline.  I went on to join a for profit health insurer in a MBA leadership development program designed to train general managers.  The notion of being a general manager is a theme I have carried throughout my career as I have had a wide array of varying leadership roles across the health insurer landscape.

My mom shaped my health interest – she was a nurse who left her career to raise kids and later returned to graduate school to receive her Master’s in Social Work and to this day is a private practice psychotherapist.  My dad shaped my business interest – he was a talented sales executive who later started his own business in the data communications space, his entrepreneurial spirit is a strong force for me. My work at UMass Medical Center while at Holy Cross in a community advocate role that I obtained because of a student run health and wellness program I was part of shaped my first exposure to recognizing the power of delivering health with care.

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

I was a Resident Assistant, an Admissions ambassador, a peer minister, I worked as a server in the “Kimball Café” (is this even a thing anymore?  Faculty and staff ate in a café in lower Kimball) and a member of a student run nutrition and wellness organization.

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

I was a Psychology major after trying out Political Science and Economics.  The healthcare/business combination was clearly in me even then! 

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

Critical thinking and curiosity as well as doing what is best for others and the community in which you live are two things that Holy Cross emphasized.  I am a learner at heart and Holy Cross fueled that for me.  I ask questions and am naturally curious and encourage that in those I work with on my team.  My interest in joining a not for profit insurer like Blue Cross is rooted in my appreciation of and commitment to giving back to the community, a core part of my experience at Holy Cross. 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today? 

Take as many different classes as you can – spark your curiosity.  Find a way to give back to your student community or to the community at large by getting involved in something. Network.  Use the alumni resources the College has to offer to explore different career options, graduate school choices, fields of interest, whatever it may be.  No one ever said “no” to a networking request and it takes little preparation on the part of the person being asked.  It’s a great way to learn about pathways and the twists and turns each career typically includes and it often leads to additional networking introductions.

Name: Jack Kenney

Class Year: 2016

Title: Associate

Organization Name: SV Health Investors

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I help form, fund, and guide companies that make cutting-edge medicines.

 

2. 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 connected with my first employer after Holy Cross  (ClearView Healthcare Partners) by reaching out to an alumnus, Rich Mynahan ’93, to learn more about his career.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

Men’s Varsity Ice Hockey and StEP, a non-profit founded by Jake Medina ’16.

 

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

Chemistry and Economics, which helped build the foundation of my interest in finding a way to blend business and science throughout my career.

 

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

The critical thinking and writing skills that I was able to hone at Holy Cross through a Liberal Arts education are some of the most important tools that I use on a daily basis in my career.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Use the scientific method to reflect on and build your career: be constantly generating hypotheses regarding how you’d like to shape your career, test that hypothesis through reaching out and asking alumni questions, working to secure summer internships, or finding ways to work part-time during the semester, and refine your hypothesis as you go. Once you’re highly confident you’re interested in or passionate about something, double-down and dive deep.

Name: Brooks Young

Class Year: 2019

Title: Leveraged Credit Analyst – High Yield

Organization Name: Hartford Investment Management Company (HIMCO)

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

My team analyzes high yield investment opportunities across companies’ capital structures to achieve excess returns for our portfolio clients.

 

2. 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?

Through Holy Cross (and with help from the career center!), I was fortunate to participate in multiple summer internships across the financial services spectrum that allowed me to sculpt and narrow down my interests. When assessing full-time opportunities, I put a premium on finding a high-quality learning experience where I would be able to develop a strong skill-set. I was introduced to HIMCO through networking, and once I met the credit team, I was convinced it would be a great learning opportunity.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

My most active role on campus was being a peer career assistant(PCA) in the Center for Career Development.

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

I was an economics major, which enabled me the platform to think about many different career opportunities from an economist’s lens. Classes like Monetary Theory and Industrial Organization & Public Policy had a profound impact on my interest in the financial services industry.

 

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

It may be cliché at this point to say, but communication is vital to my work, and I believe the human capital skills I gained at Holy Cross give me a leg up every day. Whether it is interacting with my boss or presenting an investment idea to the group, the soft skills go a long way.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

My advice is to be persistent and stay positive. I think this rings even truer now with the global pandemic. I am sure there are many of you feeling a bit lost, and it can be easy to get down on yourself when it feels like more doors are closing than they are opening. All it takes is one email/phone call/ coffee chat to open another door – so more you put into it, the more likely you are to get something out of it.