Thanks to numerous alumni at Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and other finance firms, students have access to top-notch career advice.
 

Marist’s School of Management is a popular choice for many students—and for good reason. The School, with its collection of majors and concentrations including business administration, finance, accounting, economics, and marketing, has impressive student outcomes. In a recent survey conducted of the Class of 2019, 99 percent of management graduates were employed or attending graduate school.

These stellar results are even more apparent for students specializing in finance. Attaining a successful career in this demanding and ever-changing industry takes a combination of what you know and who you know, and it’s with the latter that Marist’s robust alumni base play a pivotal role. With dozens of Red Foxes in leadership positions at Goldman Sachs, Bloomberg, and JPMorgan Chase (to name a few), current students have access to professionals who can help them realize their career goals.

Developing a relationship with successful alumni isn’t as simple as connecting on LinkedIn or sending an email however. This is where Linda Haas Manley, Director of the School of Management’s Career Center, plays a pivotal role. In addition to organizing the School’s annual Career Trek trip to New York City, where students meet with employers such as Citibank, UBS, Bloomberg, and JPMorgan Chase, she also provides a direct link between current finance students and alumni working in the field. “When students apply for an internship or job, they let me know, and I reach out to alumni contacts at the company who have expressed interest in helping students get their foot in the door,” said Haas Manley.

One such alumna is Madeline Kachou ‘15/’18M, Enterprise Account Manager at Bloomberg. “Alumni connections are extremely valuable and almost imperative in this climate. Everyone has a good GPA and prior experience, but unless you have a connection, a touchpoint, a champion that can help guide you through the interview process, it can be very difficult,” said Kachou. “Bloomberg is a unique firm, because not only do we employ a handful of Marist graduates, but most of the Marist alumni who work in the finance industry, most likely leveraging Bloomberg every day.”

Land the Perfect Internship

Marist’s close proximity to New York City and Wall Street also plays a pivotal role in student access to internships at the world’s leading firms. Thomas Murray ’02, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs and a member of the School of Management’s Advisory Board, said, “One of the tremendous assets of Marist is its proximity to New York City. Students are able to enjoy the best of both worlds with a stunning campus in the Hudson Valley and the world’s greatest city just a train ride away. The opportunity to intern in New York City was a significant advantage for kicking off my career many years ago.”

The School of Management Career Center also sponsors Meet the Firms every year. Last fall, this networking and recruiting event brought 24 employers to campus to meet with students about internship and employment opportunities, with over 170 students attending. “School of Management students typically have two or more internships before they graduate,” said Haas Manley. “It’s those experiences, combined with the strong academics Marist is known for, that make them stand out from other candidates.”

Kachou concurred. “I was extremely lucky to be given the opportunity to intern as a junior. But once I was there, I networked almost every day, making it a point to meet with someone new, or another department at least once a week. This helped me understand the type of job I wanted while also learning a lot about the company I would come to work for.”

Madeline Kachou '15/'18M talks to Marist students
 

Leverage the Power of Your Community

Jack Wicks ’86, Vice President of Program Management, Governance and Compliance Risk Management at JPMorgan Chase, also emphasizes networking skills; he frequently advises young alumni and recent graduates. “Your professional network should start early and slowly and continually build and strengthen over time,” noted Wicks. “Build a professional relationship that may last many years and do it by being sincere when you reach out and connect. Express that you are not just interested in getting a job; rather, you are interested in learning how to navigate the fast-changing world of business, banking, and finance.”

That sentiment is also expressed by fellow alumnus James Ambrose ‘18, an analyst at Goldman Sachs. “You can learn only so much from your classes, and while an undergrad may have an idea of what field they want to enter after graduation, networking with alumni is the best way to learn about the different jobs, roles, and responsibilities in the field.”

Being a strong networker is not something Haas Manley leaves to chance. In addition to teaching two School of Management-specific courses in career development skills, she also encourages students to get involved with student-led organizations advised by School of Management faculty such as the Business Club, the Student Investment Club, Beta Alpha Psi (International Honor Organization for Accounting and Finance Students) and the Women in Business Club. “Our faculty advisors bring deep levels of industry experience to these clubs, and through their involvement, students learn teamwork and networking skills that will help them make connections now and later in their careers.”

Experiences gained through involvement in campus organizations really do help to prepare students for the social and political dynamics that occur in the workplace, said Nicolette Rabadi Jaze ‘05/’11M, Vice President of Merchant Banking Division – Real Estate at Goldman Sachs. “Bring your authentic self to each experience, be curious and ask lots of questions, and don’t be afraid to speak up and lend your unique viewpoint,” said Rabadi Jaze. “This especially goes for anyone who finds themselves in the minority demographic relative to their peer group. In these settings, your perspective matters even more, as we all know that diverse and inclusive workplaces produce superior products and ideas. But it’s up to the people at the table to use their voices to influence change.”

Build a Foundation for the Future

Marist offers numerous resources to finance students in terms of faculty expertise and state-of-the-art facilities, with the Hancock Investment Center taking center stage. Equipped with large screen TVs, stock ticker, and computerized financial news feeds, the Center provides access to the same technology Wall Street traders use while providing a magnificent panoramic view of the Hudson River. Through internships, students are given meaningful opportunities to develop knowledge in their chosen field. “The real world starts here inside the School of Management well before graduation and employment interviews and even before students start preparing for internships,” said Haas Manley. “We make every effort to provide students the support they need and the skills that will make them stand out from their first day on campus.”

Finance students are encouraged to pursue advanced-level electives specific to finance and investment banking that would make them eligible to participate in the Greystone Managed Fund. In this hands-on practicum, students are responsible for managing a $200,000 equity fund, and the course’s inclusion on a resume is a guaranteed attention-getter for recruiters.

Briana Ferrentino ’16, an analyst at Bloomberg, had this to say about her participation in the Greystone Managed Fund practicum, “Because I had experience with the Bloomberg Terminal through Brian Haughey’s Greystone Fund class, I reached out to alumni at Bloomberg to learn more about their experiences at the company. I then applied for a role in their analytics department. Professor Haughey helped me with prepping for the interviews, and I was lucky to receive a full-time position.”

“If I could give one piece of advice to Marist undergraduates, I would recommend they be as active as possible to make the most of their time at Marist,” Thomas Murray of Goldman Sachs explained. “Four years flies by in the blink of an eye. I’d encourage students to get involved on campus, study abroad, try out as many internships as they can and explore everything Marist has to offer.”