Tag: business career community

Name: Benjamin Howe

Class Year: 1996

Title: Audit Manager

Organization Name: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General

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

Audit managers supervise a team that conducts performance audits of VA programs and operations. 

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

I moved back to New England from Washington, DC in 2002 and was looking for federal opportunities in the greater Boston area. During that search, I identified the Government Accountability Office as an opportunity I was interested in pursuing because of its innovative professional development program. I have been conducting performance audits ever since.

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

While auditing can be done on your own, I also enjoy the opportunities to work closely in teams. I also appreciate that this work requires professional skepticism, objectivity, and good oral and written communication. 

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

I worked on the Holy Cross newspaper and yearbook.

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

I was a history and Spanish major. After college, I completed my Master of Public and International Affairs at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) at the University of Pittsburgh. While I was completing my degree at GSPIA, I interned for different government organizations. I later moved to Washington and started my federal career on Capitol Hill.     

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

I developed strong research and writing skills during my time at Holy Cross that have served me well during my career.

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

I would recommend volunteering with professional organizations in your prospective career field. By becoming a member of the Boston Chapter of the AGA, I have built strong professional connections while positively impacting my community. I have also taken advantage of the leadership opportunities offered by the Chapter to show my leadership skills as a young professional. As a student interested in a financial management career, I would highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunities AGA offers. In addition, students can join the group for free!

Name: Kyle Irvine

Class Year: 2021

Title: Senior Associate Consultant

Organization Name: Hayden Consulting Group

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

I collaborate with teams to advise & deliver recommendations to pharmaceutical manufacturers on questions related to commercial strategy, product launch, organizational development & design, and patient access & affordability.

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 original plan after graduation was to attend graduate school but as a COVID-era graduate, I knew I needed a break from school. A few of my professors and mentors had worked in consulting prior to attending graduate school, so I figured it was a safe option. I began researching and applying and came across my current (and first) employer. Throughout the interview process, I was able to learn more about the kind of work I’d be doing and with whom I’d be doing it.

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

I was a four-year member of a number of musical ensembles through the Music Department, Chaplain’s Office, and Student Affairs, was a Tour Guide and Senior Interviewer in the Office of Admission, served as Co-Director of Academic Affairs for SGA, worked in Dinand and for the Economics Department, did research in the Economics Department, was a member of the College Honors and Economics Department Honors programs, and participated in the Spring Break Immersion Program and Dance Marathon.

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

I was a double major in Economics and Music, which allowed me to pursue a wide range of potential careers – it also always sparked a discussion in an interview or networking call!

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

Critical Thinking: Across all of the courses I took at Holy Cross, my classmates and I were always pushed to get to the “so what” on exams and in papers, which has been invaluable in my consulting career as we continue to provide clients with rich insights from our work.

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

Don’t stress about having it all figured out (easier said than done) – talk to people (friends, upperclass students, professors, alumni) and learn more about what you might be interested in!

Allie Silge

Class Year: 2020

Title: Wealth Strategy Associate

Organization Name:  UBS Private Wealth Management

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

I work on a team that serves Ultra High Net Worth Clients by managing their investments and providing them with holistic wealth management advice and services.

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 participated in the Global Wealth Management Internship at UBS the summer before my senior year.  This program was great for getting my foot in the door and leveraging the Holy Cross network at the firm, which ultimately led for me to receive a full time offer at the bank.  Over the course of the summer I was able to learn more about Wealth Management and realized it was the perfect fit for me.  This industry specifically requires a unique skillset that is a cross between technical/analytical skills and social/people skills.  I loved how these two skillsets could be blended into a job that felt right for me. 

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

On campus I was involved in: Finance Club, SPUD, Eucharistic Ministry, and Club Tennis.

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

I was an Economics Major and Art History Minor.  My economics major largely affected my career decision as I was interested in the broader macro environment and how it affected financial markets.  I was further interested in how this affected someone’s personal financial investments and what types of investments do well in different macro situations.  Overall, I found the interconnectedness of the markets & the economy to be fascinating.

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

One of the most important things I learned at Holy Cross was how to write.  I learned this mainly through my history classes, and is truly an invaluable skill that differentiates me from my colleagues.

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

• First, I would say to cherish your time on the Hill – it goes by faster than you think!
• Second, I would say to keep an open mind when exploring your career options – it is always better to cast a wide net and be open to many different opportunities than to focus on one particular thing.  If anything, I’ve learned that your interests and strengths change as you develop and grow, so remaining open and malleable to this change is so important.

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!  

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!