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Meet Alumna Kat Rosenthal ’13, Project Manager, John Moriarty & Associates

Name: Kat Rosenthal

Class Year: 2013

Title: Project Manager

Organization: John Moriarty & Associates, DC

 

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

I manage the financial and manpower requirements to build buildings

 

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

A series of failed attempts at finding my passion lead me to start throwing darts at the wall to find a career. I wanted something that had a team component, as I missed playing sports so much. I connected with someone from high school who worked for a large general contractor in Boston who then pointed me in the direction of another general contractor. I reached out for an unpaid internship and was hired as a paid intern. Three months of interning lead to a full time job. Six years later, I now run my own project and still love what I do.

 

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

Varsity softball, President of ABiGaLe/Allies (now Pride), Physics grading and tutoring, and a Pub Rat 🙂

 

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

I studied Physics with a Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies. I knew I did not want to work in a lab forever after a few summer internships. Physics taught me how to collaborate and problem solve; I knew that whatever I did for a living had to let me critically think and work with a team.

 

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

Most definitely teamwork and creative problem solving. Construction is a very big field with a lot of different specialties. As a general contractor, we work to learn a little about a lot, working with the experts (designers and engineers) to make a building. It involves working as a team and problem solving as a group. So many times I know only high level details, but my ability to think outside the box to solve a difficult constructability issue is very helpful!

 

6. What advice do you have for students today?

Do as much as you can while you’re still at Holy Cross. Try everything you can. Get outside of your comfort zone. Do not worry so much about your grades. Instead, work hard, maintain a good reputation, and create great and long standing relationships with professors, staff, and classmates; that will pay off so much more in the long run.
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Meet Alum Oswaldo Subillaga ’16, Medical Student, Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Name: Oswaldo Subillaga

Class Year: 2016

Title: Medical Student

Organization:  Alpert Medical School of Brown University

 

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

As a fourth year medical student, I am in the midst of residency interviews (for general surgery!) and completing clinical electives that will help me to become a well-rounded surgical resident.

 

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 was able to shadow two wonderful surgeons at UMass Memorial Medical Center through the academic internship program at HC. While I already had an interest in medicine, that experience introduced me to the world of surgery which is ultimately the field that I plan on pursuing.

 

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

While at HC, I was a RA, peer mentor, admissions interviewer, co-chair of LASO, and SPUD volunteer.

 

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

My major was political science and I also did my premedical requirements knowing that I wanted to go into medical school after college.

 

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

Having to argue for a point of view in a short essay at HC has helped me to convey information accurately and concisely in both clinical and non-clinical scenarios. Surgeons, in particular, like brevity.

 

6. What advice do you have for students today?

Take advantage of the mentorship opportunities at Holy Cross and maintain those connections even after you leave the hill. Oh, and pay it forward.
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Meet Alumna Sabrina Gross ’02, Virginia Department of Education

Name: Sabrina Gross

Class Year: 2002

Title: Coordinator of Complaints and Special Projects in the Office of Dispute Resolution and Administrative Services

Organization Name: Virginia Department of Education

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

I oversee the complaint dispute resolution process as required by the Individuals With Disabilities in Education Act and manage many teacher and school administrator professional development projects related to special education laws and regulations. I really enjoy my job.

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 always knew that I wanted to work in education, but I wasn’t sure in what capacity. I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and my father made me complete the teacher certification program at Holy Cross so that I was an employable upon graduation! Ha! I completed the program to teach social studies but began teaching special education because of my degree in psychology. Teaching special education led me to working in children’s mental health for quite a few years. My experiences encouraged me to pursue a law degree so that I could work in children’s policy. Now I work in special education investigations and compliance.

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

I was on the education student advisory committee, colorguard, and BSU. I also wrote a proposal to reignite the semester away program to an HBCU. I attended Hampton University for a semester.

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

My degree was in psychology. I think working children’s mental health gave me a whole child approach to reviewing many of the complaints we receive and provides me with a unique perspective when working with other government agencies in providing guidance on policy and policy implementation.

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

I think the Holy Cross motto “men and women for others” has led me to understand the importance of public service and giving back.

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

College is an opportunity to explore many varied interests. Take classes that peak your curiosity, join many co-curricular activities, study abroad, and get involved in the Worcester community.
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Meet Alum Freddie Santana ’11, College Persistance Counselor, KIPP New Jersey

Name: Freddie Santana

Class Year: 2011

Title: College Persistence Counselor

Organization Name: KIPP New Jersey

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

Provide specific guidance, advising, social and financial support to help a caseload of primarily first-generation college students pursue their college degree.

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?

While at Holy Cross I decided to take an Educational Psychology course that really aligned to my interests. I had some success with the course and as a result I developed an interest in education and its impact on low-income communities. Prior to this class, I only knew that I wanted to work within low-income communities but was uncertain about how that might look for me. I began taking a bunch of education and multi-cultural courses to broaden my knowledge of the underpinnings of education in America.

I guess my interest in education as a Latino drew some interest from the wonderful folks at Teach For America who happened to randomly find me one day while I was enjoying a Peanut Butter Protein smoothie at Cool Beans and they got me to apply. A few weeks and 3 interviews later, I received an offer to join the 2011 Corps in Metro Atlanta. With professional football looming in the shadows I took the leap of faith and decided to start my career as an educator.

The process of learning/deciding if this field was a good fit for me is my favorite part of the journey. I learned how important it is to periodically evaluate each phase of your career and to seek alternate opportunities within your field of interest to ensure you get a holistic view of the work before considering a career change. There is a great quote I heard once that goes something like this: “Maybe the journey is more about uncovering who you are not so that you can make room for the person you were always meant to be.”

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

Varsity Football – Big Brothers Big Sisters Liaison – Multicultural Peer Educator – Latin American Student Organization

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

I majored in Sociology with a concentration in Africana Studies

Sociology allowed me to learn more about communities as a whole and what things impact a community’s overall health. It gave me a holistic view of how different entities like education impact a community and its people. Because I developed this foundational knowledge I felt better positioned to enter the field and make an immediate impact versus going into a totally unfamiliar field and trying to figure it out as I go.

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

One of the biggest skills I developed while being at Holy Cross was the importance of preparation and its correlation to success. I came into Holy Cross with poor academic habits and learned quickly that preparation is the great equalizer.

The second skill I developed was how to network effectively. I attended all networking career banquets, alumni events and met with a lot of professors during my time at Holy Cross. All of which allowed me the opportunity to listen, learn and practice effective networking strategies.

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

Maximize your time on campus by getting involved: connect with peers, faculty, and alumni often, join clubs and other organizations on campus that might be aligned to your interests. Allow yourself the opportunity to meet people that you normally wouldn’t engage with… there is power in learning different perspectives.

Practice and develop strong routines and habits. Figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. Create an organization system that works for you and use it with fidelity. You’ll be thankful once you jump into your career and already have these things in place.
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Meet Alumna Maggie Moriarty ’20, Financial Services Consultant, EY

Name: Maggie Moriarty

 Class Year: 2020

 Title: Financial Services Consultant-Staff

 Organization Name: Ernst & Young

 

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

Every consulting project is very different, but overall my job entails working with financial services clients (banks, wealth management companies, and insurance companies) to offer them beneficial solutions, additional support, and guidance on tracking and completing either long-term or short term projects that enhance their company.  

 

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? 

My first three years at Holy Cross I always thought I wanted to go to law school, but after attending career fairs and networking with my HC Alumni network, I started to research more about the consulting industry. After further networking I was able to set up calls with HC alumni who worked for Ernst & Young, and ultimately landed an interview and the job. I knew consulting was a good fit for me because similar to being a lawyer, a consultant has several clients and projects throughout his or her career, so he or she is continuously learning and getting up to speed on different subject areas. The ability to transition from project to project greatly appealed to me, especially during the early stages of my career. In addition, I knew I wanted to work closely with others to achieve certain goals and deadlines. Being in constant communication with team members from within my company and/or the client company was appealing to me.

 

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

At Holy Cross, I was a member of the women’s lacrosse team, a member of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, a member of Holy Cross for a Cure, and a member of the pre-business program.

 

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

I majored in Political Science and thoroughly enjoyed learning about current events, policies and the law, as well as creating materials in either presentation or paper format on these topics.  I knew I wanted to take those interests and combine them with my interest in business. Consulting seemed to be a great fit for me because of the opportunity to explore how different policies effect the requirements and decisions of financial institutions, as well as the opportunity to communicate large amounts of information to an audience in an effective and concise manner.

 

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

The ability to synthesize large amounts of detailed information into big picture ideas/trends and time management/organization.

 

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

Continue to work hard and explore different activities and opportunities on campus that are outside of your comfort zone!