Students Reflect on Career Site Visits

The President’s Business Council (PBC) and The Center for Career Development conduct student networking trips and regional receptions throughout the year to connect current students with alumni and friends in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. During these trips, students visit with several alumni in their place of business and interact at the larger reception. These trips and receptions provide a unique opportunity for the students to enhance their out-of-classroom experiences by interacting with a greater number of our alumni and friends while expanding their network of contacts.

Accounting in NYC

by Jeffrey Colucci

I attended the accounting site visits in New York City last Tuesday, and it was a great experience. The President’s Business Council (PBC) and The Center for Career Development put on a great networking event which all students should take advantage of.

We started the day off at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where we learned more about the firm and spoke with alumni from Scranton about their experience in the work world. Next, we went to Ernst & Young, where Tera Hatler ‘03 spoke to us about her experience as an alumna of the University who worked for 12 years to become a partner at a big four firm. It was amazing to see what she did, and it made me feel like a Scranton grad could do anything.

Finally, we went to Wiss & Company to experience a smaller, close-knit firm. The night finished off with a networking reception in which we could meet with alumni who work in various fields. It was amazing to see accounting firms in action, in person, and it gave me a sense of what it would be like to work in one.

The best part of the trip is when I approached one of the partners of a firm who remembered me from the career expo, and he talked with me about a potential internship experience next year. The more you know, and the more people you know, the better off you are and this networking trip was one of the best experiences one could get from the University.

Business in NYC

by Katie Conrad

This past week, I joined 33 other business students in seizing the incredible opportunity to attend the President’s Business Council (PBC) and The Center for Career Development Networking Trip in New York City.

Our busy day started with a visit to Lane Equipment, Inc., an interior construction company, where we met with Founder and CEO Gregory Burke P’20. Greg and his staff explained their unique business and we learned how they use technology such as virtual reality to create a real-life picture for their clients. They kept our group laughing the entire visit! Our next visit was to The Blackstone Group, one of the world’s leading investment firms, where we met with Kristen Williams ’92 and Thomas Tiedemann ’02. These alumni explained how they got to where they are today while providing us with tips on how to achieve our own success.

Our final visit was to Beecher Carlson, an insurance and risk management brokerage, where we met with alum Jeffrey Lattmann ’86. Jeffrey explained the business and provided us with inspiring words to reflect on as we enter the workforce.

Our day ended with a networking reception with about 50 alumni from different fields of business. Personally, this was the highlight of my trip as it allowed me to step outside my comfort zone, network with alumni and catch up with recent graduates. I am so glad to have met an alum working in the industry I someday hope to be in. She shared her insights into the fashion industry and is now helping me with my internship search.

Overall, I cannot stress the importance of face-to-face interaction with alumni. The Scranton alumni network is a powerful one, and attending events like this can be of great advantage to your professional career. I cannot wait to attend another PBC and The Center for Career Development trip!