Lauren poses with her student cohort group in Germany
This summer, Lauren contintued her study away journey in Cologne, Germany. She is rejoining us on campus this fall and resuming her service as a CBE Fellow – we had to ask…
What was it like spending the summer in Germany?
Lauren: This past summer, I was overseas studying for a semester in Germany. It was a wonderful opportunity both academically and personally. Not only did I improve my German language skills, but I was also able to take a variety of courses in different disciplines. The experience allowed me to grow in an unfamiliar environment and meet new friends from around the world.
How did you discover this opportunity?
Lauren: Allegheny! I always knew I wanted to study abroad, and Allegheny provided that opportunity.The study abroad department was a great resource in making this experience happen.
What were your duties, or what did you study/learn/discover?
Lauren: As I mentioned, I took a variety of courses while abroad. These ranged from AI in German business to doing Indigenous Studies. I was also able to continue my studies in the German language, interacting with it firsthand with native speakers and those at my level. I also learned the culture and history of the city I lived in and the places I traveled to.
Would you recommend this opportunity to another Allegheny student?
Lauren: Definitely! It was not only a valuable academic endeavor but also a meaningful personal experience. I had to live on my own in a whole new culture, and I was able to grow because of it. It was very daunting at first, but I am so glad I took the chance and went. My advice is to do it if you are able to. It doesn’t matter where in the world you go, the experience and the people you meet are invaluable.
Lauren Schuch ’26 is an International Studies and Business double major. She serves as a CBE Fellow, Co-President of the Women in Business and Economic Club and an active member of the International Club.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
A chance meeting at a student conference opened the door to a summer at Latin America’s largest investment bank.
Gabriel Salvatore Xavier Saccoccio, a rising junior majoring in computer science and minoring in economics, spent his summer interning at BTG Pactual in Brazil after connecting with recruiters through the Brazilian Student Association’s annual conference. We asked Gabriel:
Where did you intern this summer?
This summer, I interned at BTG Pactual, the largest investment bank in Latin America. I worked with the IT Legal team to help modernize systems that manage thousands of legal cases involving the bank.
How did you discover this opportunity?
I discovered the opportunity through BRASA, the Brazilian Student Association, during its annual conference at Columbia University in October 2024. The event included a career fair that connects Brazilian students studying abroad with top companies, and it was a great chance to speak directly with recruiters from BTG.
What were your duties and what did you study/learn/discover?
I supported the IT Legal team on projects focused on improving how the bank manages its legal cases. My work helped streamline internal processes, making it easier for teams to track case updates, deadlines, and financial information. I collaborated with different departments and contributed to tools that made the bank’s legal operations more efficient and accurate. This experience gave me valuable insight into how technology supports legal and compliance work in a major financial institution.
Would you recommend this opportunity to another Allegheny student?
While the internship is tailored for Brazilian students, BTG does have branches in New York and Miami. I strongly recommend attending conferences that resonate with your interests, as they’re a powerful way to connect with recruiters and professionals face-to-face, which can lead to opportunities you might not find otherwise.
Gabriel serves the department as a CBE Fellow, speaks four languages and is a first place winner in the Financial Literacy Challenge. He will study away during the fall 2025 semester in Madrid, Spain.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
Starting this fall, the Business and Economics Department is offering a new series of microcredentials designed to help students stand out in today’s competitive job and graduate school markets.
These digital badges recognize verified skills and competencies earned through existing coursework and hands-on experiences. The first four microcredentials — Accounting, Finance, Investing, and Tax Fundamentals — offers students tangible proof of their expertise in high-demand areas, from financial analysis to real-world tax preparation. By earning these credentials, students can demonstrate their readiness to employers and admissions committees alike, boosting their visibility and credibility in application processes that increasingly rely on data-driven hiring tools.
Accounting
The accounting microcredential provides foundational knowledge of accounting processes and methodologies. Students develop an understanding of accounting principles such as recording transactions, presenting financial information, and analyzing costs.
Finance
Finance equips students with the tools and methodologies employed by finance professionals. Upon completing this microcredential, students will understand the role of financial markets in the economy, how interest rates are determined, how risk affects the price and expected return of a financial asset, and will be able to analyze investment decisions.
Investing
Investing equips students with the tools and methodologies employed to value assets. Upon completing this microcredential, students will understand how risk and interest rates influence the pricing of financial assets, and will be able to generate reports on firms, including equity recommendations employed to value assets. Upon completing this microcredential, students will understand how risk and interest rates influence the pricing of financial assets, and will be able to generate reports on firms, including equity recommendation
Tax Fundamentals
The tax fundamentals microcredential provides a working knowledge of accounting fundamentals, tax law, and tax preparation. Students receive training and hands-on preparation experience by preparing individual tax returns and reviewing those returns over two semesters of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Internship. The first time the students take the internship, they are certified as Preparers, and the second time they are certified as Preparers/Reviewers.
For more information on our full list of microcredentials and their course requirements, visit the Academic Bulletin for 2025/2026
Assistant Professor Chris Finaret and Aldrich Simon ’27
Aldrich Simon ’27, a studio art and communication major, presented a short overview of his creative project, The Paper Bell: Graphic Noveling Economic Fiction at this year’s summer research seminar program (URSCA). The book he is illustrating blends storytelling with economic theory to create an illustrated companion novel for the course ECON 256: Economic Development.
Mentored by CBE Co-Director and Assistant Professor of Economics Chris Finaret, Aldrich is illustrating a 77,000-word work of second-world magical realism written to complement Why Nations Fail, the acclaimed book by 2024 Nobel Laureates Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson.
“In an effort to celebrate reading and reinforce course themes, I’m using a companion novel to enhance the understanding of Why Nations Fail,” said Finaret. “Entire passages in The Paper Bell are inspired by specific case studies from the text. It’s more than supplementing coursework with historical fiction—it’s reimagining how students engage with complex global issues.”
Set in a richly imagined world, The Paper Bell follows Kedi, a younger sibling who learns he’s not the main character, and the Witches of Lorango, the true heroes of a family saga rooted in survival, power, and change. According to Prof. Finaret, “Again, URSCA has created an opportunity for a student and I to enrich a project centered around teaching and art. Where else are students treated to bespoke economic fiction, tailored for their course and brimming with classy art by a student peer? Truly another expression in Allegheny College’s liberal arts tradition. I can’t wait to teach The Paper Bell in Economic Development this Fall.”
The novel will be privately published for classroom use, with a limited number of copies available at Tattered Corners bookstore in Meadville during the Fall 2025 semester.
This opportunity for student/faculty collaboration has been made possible through the Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities (URSCA). URSCA’s mission is to promote student research, organize on-campus presentations of student projects, and provide information and support to students who present their projects off-campus. Learn more about URSCA at https://sites.allegheny.edu/undergraduate-research-scholarship-creative-activities/
What can you do with a degree in business or economics? At Allegheny College, the answer is — more than you might imagine.
To help students explore the wide range of opportunities available—both during their time at Allegheny and after graduation—the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics has developed a comprehensive Roadmap for Business and Economics Students.
This guide isn’t just about choosing a major—it’s about building a life. It’s designed to help students assess their skills and interests, set meaningful goals, connect with mentors, and make informed choices about internships, research, graduate school, and career paths.
Whether you’re a prospective student, a current Gator, or a proud alum looking to mentor the next generation, the Roadmap is filled with insights and tools to guide the journey.
Colin Elder ’25, an Economics and Data Science double major spent the summer as a Data Science Intern on the Business Intelligence team at Sheetz, Inc. a top-tier convenience and customer service retail company with 675 locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.
We asked Colin…
How did you learn about this opportunity?
Colin: It’s pretty simple – I found this internship on LinkedIn.
What are your duties?
Colin: I do data analysis on both the product and store level for Sheetz. Some projects I worked on include evaluating how price changes of goods have affected sales, as well as a store segmentation project. Grouping stores with similar characteristics allows Sheetz to target marketing towards specific segments as well as optimize pricing and distribution of products.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
Colin: Absolutely. Sheetz is a fantastic family-owned company that cares about their employees and makes sure their interns get involved. If Data Science is not something you are interested in, there are plenty of other opportunities for students- there were almost 50 interns throughout the company this summer.
Colin Elder is a CBE Fellow, scheduled to graduate in May 2025. He serves as the service/philanthropy chair for the Allegheny chapter of Delta Tau Delta and plays the position of winger on the Allegheny men’s soccer team.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
Nicholas Tysiachney ’25, an Economics major and Data Science minor at Allegheny College, is participating in an ongoing internship in the Supply Chain department at Acutec Precision Aerospace, an award-winning, family and employee-owned manufacturer of critical components and subassemblies for aerospace and defense applications.
We asked Nick…
How did you learn about this opportunity?
Nick: I connected with Acutec’s Human Resources Director and Allegheny alumnus Austin Rock ’14, through my advisor, Professor of Economics Russ Ormiston.
What are your duties?
Nick: I assist with purchasing consumables, basically anything that doesn’t end up inside of a part. Since I started in October 2023, I’ve purchased more than $2 million worth of goods. I also work on automating business processes to make them more efficient for everyone in the department. In that area of responsibility, I’ve developed more than 28 separate automations across 10 automation families.
Would you recommend this internship to another student?
Nick: Absolutely, if not this internship, then there are many others at Acutec. I feel that Acutec is good at giving people what they can handle in an internship. If you show promise, you can do more, if you are younger or less experienced, they will work with you. I will be happy to talk to anyone about internship opportunities.
Nicholas Tysiachney is scheduled to graduate in May 2025. A commuting student, he serves as a CBE Fellow and takes advantage of the Wise Center Athletics Center while on campus. Off-campus, he’s continues to work at Acutec in Meadville.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
Dynamic New Program Offers Students a Clear Path to One of the World’s Fastest Growing Professions – Healthcare Management
Connecting with the Working Women in the Meadville Community
Understanding the National Economic Outlook with the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank
VITA Volunteers Make a Real Difference in the Meadville Community
The Board of Visitors Prep Students for Life after Graduation
Allegheny Students Earn Top Awards at the Sigma XI Intercollegiate Student Conference
Business and Economics Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities (URSCA) Students and Faculty Participate in the ACROSS 2024 Summer Research Program
Robotics on Display During the Zingale Big Idea Competition Awards Ceremony
Please note: activities, dates and program titles have been updated since publication, please visit theCenter for Business and Economics Calendarfor updated information.
Naveed Ismael ’12 VP of Customer Management, Healthcare Analytics at Craneware – “I am particularly excited for the next generation of Allegheny students to experience the new Healthcare Management program because of how it will bring together critical industry insights, interdisciplinary studies focused around the mission of healthcare, and practical business concepts and theory to prepare graduates to tackle the unique and growing challenges that the U.S. healthcare industry faces in the coming decades”
Allegheny College has unveiled two exciting new degree programs beginning this fall: a Bachelor of Science and an accelerated Master of Science in Healthcare Management. The BS follows a traditional 4-year undergraduate curriculum, while the Master’s program offers students the opportunity to earn both BS and MS degrees in 4 or 5 years. Both pathways benefit from Allegheny’s rigorous coursework and unique interdisciplinary and applied approach to learning.
Healthcare Management involves the study of the healthcare industry, including service providers, health economics and financing, insurers, manufacturers, non-profit organizations, and government entities at all levels. It emphasizes an understanding of the complexities of the US healthcare system in the 21st century, including the organization and delivery of preventive health and healthcare services. It also develops the interpersonal, leadership, and management skills needed by healthcare administrators to efficiently and effectively meet health and institutional goals.
Professor Steven Farrelly-Jackson, Healthcare Management Program Director commented, “These programs develop students’ broader understanding of the pressing challenges posed by soaring costs of US healthcare, inequities of access, and worsening health outcomes – especially for the marginalized and vulnerable. The aim is to train a new generation of healthcare managers who, whatever their role in the healthcare industry, will contribute meaningfully to improved effectiveness, sustainability, and social justice.”
Allegheny’s Healthcare Management programs draw on the college’s proven strengths in its Business and Economics department and landmark Global Health Studies program, as well as decades of success preparing students for healthcare professions. Both BS and MS programs emphasize thorough grounding in economics and business management skills, while also including coursework in medicine, public health, the US health system, the social determinants of health, data analytics, human resources, finance, ethics, and sustainability to ensure that graduates are immediately ready to succeed in whatever area of healthcare management they choose to pursue.
Naveed Ismael ’12, VP of Customer Management, Healthcare Analytics at Craneware offered this observation:
“My experience at Allegheny College was transformational for me in developing my strengths in communication and contextualizing challenges, learning to apply myself to solving problems, and thinking strategically, all of which I consider to be core tenets of the liberal arts education I received. Everything I learned I found to be immediately transferable to my career in healthcare management.
I am particularly excited for the next generation of Allegheny students to experience the new Healthcare Management program because of how it will bring together critical industry insights, interdisciplinary studies focused around the mission of healthcare, and practical business concepts and theory to prepare graduates to tackle the unique and growing challenges that the U.S. healthcare industry faces in the coming decades. Healthcare represents nearly 20% of the nation’s GDP and, with an aging population, the industry demand will only grow for well-rounded individuals with the experience and skills this program will produce.”
The Allegheny College Global Health Studies program was founded on the belief that undergraduate liberal education can play an essential role in meeting the world’s health challenges, the GHS program draws upon Allegheny’s longstanding commitments to civic engagement, diverse perspectives, internationalization, project-based and interdisciplinary learning. The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
We’re proud to share the latest issue of the Business & Economics Review, highlighting student achievements, alumni impact, and faculty excellence.
