The 2023 CBE competition saw three accomplished students enter financial plans that were not only technically correct, but realistic plans for life after graduation. Three seniors led this years event winning prize money to help them get started on their next adventure:
1st Place: Reece Smith, $2,500
2nd Place: Andrew Strobel, $1,500
3rd Place: Ochirsaikhan Davaajambal, $1,000
The next step for Zingale Financial Literacy winners is participation in the annual Pittsburgh Collegiate Financial Plan Competition scheduled for April 2024.
The Financial Literacy Challenge, sponsored by Lance and Karen Zingale, is a competition in which students develop and submit a personal financial budget and investing plan appropriate for life after graduation.
Our special thanks to Lance and Karen Zingale for their generous support of this important program for Allegheny College students.
The Zingale Financial Literacy Challenge is an event in which students develop a personal financial budget and investing plan appropriate for a recent college graduate. They can then choose to earn a certificate, academic credit and/or compete in the Challenge for cash prizes and trophies awarded to student winners.The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
Fall 2023 Lunchtime Learning with Devone McLeod – Standing from left: Diane Sutter ’72, President Ron Cole, Meredythe Baird ’24, Reece Smith ’24, Colin Elder ’25, Graham Kralic ’25, RJ Swanson ’24, Andrew Strobel ’24, Devone McLeod ’13, Nicholas Tysiachney ’25, Zula Stenger ’25, and Allegheny Provost, Angela Haddad
Quigley Auditorium was packed as the Allegheny Community gathered to listen to Devone McLeod ’13 recount his postgraduate journey and how he was able to reach his career and income goals in five short years after graduation. A valued member and co-Chair of the Center for Business and Economics Board of Visitors, he has built a distinguished career as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and currently serves as 1st Vice President at the Wealth Enhancement Group.
CBE Fellow Meredythe Baird ‘24 commented, “It was a pleasure to spend time with Devone listening to his talk on wealth-building. He brought very valuable advice to all who had the pleasure of talking to him. I know the CBE Fellows and the Wealth Management Club were extremely grateful for his time!” During his Lunchtime Learning presentation, “The Price of Prosperity – Unraveling the Discipline Behind Building Wealth from any Socioeconomic Background,” McLeod offered these 10 Tips for Success:
Create a budget.
Buy the cheapest house in the nicest neighborhood that you can afford.
Build a flexibility fund. (Other financial planners call this an “emergency fund”, but Devone suggests that you have the “flexibility” mindset)
Be sure to invest in the max company match level in your 401K – but don’t let that be your only investment.
Start a Roth IRA as a tax diversification strategy.
Social media isn’t real – don’t compare yourself to others, they may not be as successful as their feed indicates.
You can’t beat the market – many have tried, but generally fail. Invest instead in ETFs (exchange-traded funds) and mutual funds.
Learn to say no.
Don’t get divorced! (It’s expensive)
Saving should be a little uncomfortable, but worthwhile.
As part of his tenure as Executive in Residence, Devone met with faculty and students, visited classes and met with the Wealth Management Club.
Devone Mcleod ’13
Devone McLeod, CFP® serves as the 1st Vice President and Financial Advisor at Wealth Enhancement Group. Devone strives to help families achieve their retirement goals by creating custom strategies designed to avoid costly mistakes, fund lifestyle goals, and eliminate financial worries.
A 2013 graduate of Allegheny College, Devone majored in Economics with a minor in Black Studies. He is an Alden Scholar and played basketball while at Allegheny. He went on to earn his MS in Taxation at Villanova University, and his MBA at Saint Peter’s University. He has served on the Center for Business and Economics Board of Visitors since 2018 and currently serves as the Vice Chair.
The Executive in Residence program
The Executive in Residence program is a co-curricular activity sponsored by the Allegheny College Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics. The event is designed to connect Allegheny students and faculty with prominent business executives who spend several days on the Allegheny campus speaking about their life experiences in business, paths to success and lessons learned.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
Quite a lot! Read “The Business and Economics Review” to look back at the highlights for Spring 2023 — Click here to download a .pdf
Our Distinctive Program
At the Allegheny College Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics, students may pursue a major in economics or business with each course of study applying the rigor of economic theory, with the benefit of interdisciplinary coursework that allows students to create a personalized concentration. Like many disciplines in a liberal arts curriculum, business and economics emphasizes oral, written, and quantitative methods in courses and seminars.
We offer students a program that requires a balance of theory and application in its curriculum. A combination of theory courses, quantitative work, and a number of field courses are offered to non-majors and minors. The program is designed to provide a foundation in liberal arts education to prepare students for postgraduate study and careers such as international affairs, law, business, management, banking and finance, human resources, accounting, marketing, education and public policy.
An extensive portfolio of co-curricular activities complements our curriculum, enhancing student learning and real-world experience and soft skill development to ensure that each student succeeds in pursuing internships, job, and graduate school opportunities at Allegheny College, and throughout their professional careers.
The distinctive Allegheny model requires students to declare a minor in a non-business and non-social science discipline, for example philosophy, religious studies, a foreign language, music, english, fine arts, biology, world health, mathematics, and computer science among other fields.
Rutendo Mavunga ’24 during her internship at Ernst and Young
Rutendo Mavunga ’24 is an international student from Zimbabwe majoring in Economics with a French minor. During the summer, she returned to Ernst & Young, an internationally esteemed Big 4 company for the second summer. During her internship she served as a Financial Services Business Consultant.
We asked Rutendo….
How did you find your internship?
I found this internship through Handshake and the support of Career Education, a service that I recommend that every student utilize during their time at Allegheny College.
What were your duties?
I found my internship thoroughly engaging, rigorous and insightful based on the various engagements that I conducted that allowed me to gain a greater appreciation of the financial services sector as a business consultant. My key responsibilities included conducting financial analysis, strategic planning, and risk management. I was involved in identifying business process improvements, performing market research, and supporting potential M&A activities. Ensuring regulatory compliance, financial modeling, and client communication were three essential aspects of this role. Additionally, I engaged in project management, data analysis, and business development efforts, while continuously participating in training to enhance my skills and contribute to the success and growth of the company.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
I would recommend this internship to fellow students who have an interest in the financial sector and are willing and eager to explore various roles that could follow. For those students who are still not sure what they would want to do, I recommend exploring the launch internships facilitated by EY, or any other internships that have a rotational program that will allow them to explore what they want to do long term.
Rutendo Mavunga ’24 is a CBE Fellow, a resident advisor and the President of the Allegheny College Model United Nations Society. She is also a non-profit entrepreneur, and the business plan for her company, Batanai, is a two-time winner of the Zingale Big Idea Competition.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
CBE Fellow Colin Elder ‘25 is pursuing a double major in Economics and Data Science. This summer, Colin stayed on campus working for the First Bank of the Lake, a SBA Preferred Lender, with their online internship program.
We asked Colin…
How did you find your internship?
I found my internship through the help of the Allegheny’s Career Education team, as well as the many Allegheny Alumni that work for First Bank of the Lake. One of our other fellows, Andrew Strobel, has previously worked within the same internship program.
What were your duties?
My duties this summer include working on external audits as well as making sure that all information is up to date and formatted correctly within our loans.
Would you recommend your internship to other students?
I would absolutely recommend this experience to other students. Everyone at First Bank of the Lake has been extremely welcoming and helpful during my time, and I have been able to learn so much about SBA banking.
Colin is a CBE Fellow, the Service Chair for the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and is a member of the Allegheny soccer team.
*Allegheny Advantage = Career Education Team + Allegheny Alumni
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
Meredythe Baird (far left) with the Kohl’s intern leadership team volunteering at the local Boys & Girls Club
Meredythe Baird ‘24, a Business and Spanish major, spent this summer as an intern at Kohl’s in her hometown of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
We asked Meredythe…
How did you find your internship?
I found this internship through LinkedIn and utilizing the platform, I was recruited through a connection.
What were your duties during this internship?
This summer I worked as a Store Leadership Intern at Kohl’s. Volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club of America was one of the many events I got to participate in over the course of my 8 weeks. No two days were ever the same over the course of my time there. I learned a substantial amount of business acumen, merchandising, brand, the importance of customer satisfaction, associate effectiveness, assumptive selling, and so much more. I crossed paths with many wonderful people and had the opportunity to gain experience in the business field.
Would you recommend this experience to other students?
This internship overall provides a chance to demonstrate leadership skills, as well as learn new methods in an ever-changing world. Therefore, even if a student is not actively searching for a job in the retail industry, this internship still provides an enriching opportunity for anyone looking to continue the development of their ability to lead others.
Meredythe, a Fellow for the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics, is the goalie on the Field Hockey team and a first baseman on the Softball team. She is a proud member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, and Phi Sigma Iota. In addition, Meredythe serves as the marketing chair for the Wealth Management Club.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
RJ at “The Park,” the observation deck at the top of PNC’s main building downtown.
Richard “RJ” Swanson ’24, an Economics major with a Communications and Political Science double-minor served as a finance and accounting intern in Pittsburgh with PNC Bank.
We asked RJ….
How did you find your summer internship?
I originally applied through their external application site, but I was also referred to the program. I was able to connect with alumna Jennifer Daurora ’99, and she helped me organize my application, and prepare for my interviews.
What were your duties?
This summer, I worked under the Management Accounting team. On a daily basis, I was responsible for running validations that ensured the cubes with the bank’s forecasting and budgeting data were operating correctly. I also was involved with some testing efforts that looked at new data storage systems.
A good portion of the internship also involved program events with our intern class. We participated in a speaker series that gave us face time with executives from the bank. There were also professional development training events to help us to refine our Excel, networking, and other skills.
The PNC Intern Capstone Team
I was also responsible for working on a team with three other interns to present a research project to members of the finance department. We conducted research with the help of PNC’s Investor Relations team and consultants from EY and PWC.
Our project looked at instant payment networks, and the emergence of the Federal Reserve’s FedNow.
Would you recommend this experience to other students?
I would absolutely recommend this internship to other students. PNC’s internship program was just ranked in the top 100 internship experiences in the United States this year. It is the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself and utilize materials from coursework. Even if you don’t end up interested in the department that you interned with, there are almost limitless job opportunities within the bank to try.
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
Besides working as a Fellow at the CBE, I am the president of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity on campus. Additionally, I am the president of both the Golf Club and Wealth Management Club.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
Graham Kralic ’25, an economics major and communications minor, elected to stay in Meadville this summer and intern in the Financial Aid office at Allegheny College.
Graham Kralic ’25, an economics major and communications minor, elected to stay in Meadville this summer and intern in the Financial Aid office at Allegheny College.
We asked Graham…
How did you find your summer internship?
I found this opportunity through my campus job in the financial aid office.
◊ Allegheny students can apply for wide variety of campus jobs through the student job bank.
What are your duties?
My duties include financial aid awards research based on recent SCOTUS rulings, scholarship account bank reconciliation, employment verification, general student employment duties, assisting in general office duties, data entry, and dealing with student and parent relationships regarding financial aid.
Would you recommend this experience to other students?
I would definitely recommend this experience to other students. It’s a great way to learn the ins and outs of office life and hone communication and collaboration skills better. This experience also provides the opportunity to take on larger responsibilities since the office has a smaller staff compared to some internships at larger companies.
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
I’m involved in CBE as a Fellow, the varsity men’s soccer team, I’m the co-president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee(SAAC), the Director of Membership Development of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, the treasurer of the Interfraternity Council, and a member of the golf club.
Summer of 2023 Internship Group at Fidelity Investments
Reece Smith ’24 is a rising senior majoring in Economics and minoring in Mathematics with a concentration in Law & Policy. This summer, Reece is a Corporate Risk Intern for Fidelity Investments at the corporate office in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
We asked Reece…
How did you find your summer internship?
I found my internship by going directly through Fidelity’s career page. I highly recommend going directly to the career sites of companies you are interested in working for. It saves a lot of the time that it takes to tailor search parameters and dig through results.
What are your duties?
As a Corporate Risk Management Intern, I work on the risk assessment team, and in this role I am responsible for 3 risk assessments, which involves checking with other associates to make sure the controls are being followed, and conducting tests to measure the effectiveness of the control. Along with that, I create surveys used by my team members for their assessment. I serve on the focus group for the internal website for the Legal, Risk, and Compliance department that will host many resources that aid in risk assessments.
On the lighter side, I volunteered to be the LRC’s point of contact for the interns in our department, assisting in relaying information to others and organizing events for us to attend and get to know each other. I recently organized a Ping Pong tournament!
Would you recommend this experience to other students?
I highly recommend this internship to my fellow students; Fidelity has a great, relaxed corporate culture, they will invest into developing your skills, and is growing fast. It looks like they’ll hire interns who are rising seniors.
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
I am a Center for Business and Economics Fellow, A Don Lavoie Fellow with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, CFO for Allegheny’s Student Managed Investment Fund, Program Director for Allegheny’s College Radio Station, Treasurer for the Allegheny Ghost Club, and a member of the Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economic Honor Society), the Egg Detectives (Improv Troupe), and the Fencing Club.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
Zula Stenger ’25 is pursuing a major in business with a focus in marketing and double minors in political science and studio art. Inspired by Rebecca Oliver, Professor of Political Science along with her studies in Business and Economics, Zula travelled abroad to Sweden to an inclusive experience that combines classroom work with research and field study. We asked Zula:
How did you discover your summer experience?
I always knew I wanted to spend time abroad during my college career, which prompted me to join Global Citizen Scholars. This cohort program encourages students to take a global approach to learning, and helps students to pay for time abroad. After taking a course in political science with Professor Oliver on welfare states, I developed a keen interest in learning more about welfare systems, and how welfare policies can impact the economy.
For my senior comp, I plan to conduct a comparative study on Sweden and the US to determine if generous welfare policies, particularly regarding child care, have acted as a stabilizing force for the Swedish economy in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Given my research interests, I felt it would be hypocritical to study without firsthand experience of life in Sweden. Therefore, at the beginning of the spring 2023 semester, I embarked on a search for any possible means to visit Sweden. After conducting some research, I came across DIS, a non-profit study abroad foundation. DIS offers semester, academic year, and summer programs taught in English featuring a broad curriculum enriched by experiential learning components. DIS appeared to be the perfect opportunity for me to engage meaningfully with Swedish culture and facilitate personal growth both as a scholar and an individual.
What were your activities during this experience?
During my summer with DIS, I am enrolled in two courses that I believe will satisfy requirements for my major and minor fields of study. The first course that I took was “Storytelling through Photography,” and the second course, “Comparative Economics: Global Risk and European Responsiveness,” both span a duration of three weeks, with three hours of class time each day from Monday to Friday.
Zula with her Comparative Economics class at the headquarters of the Agricultural Cooperative of Pistachio Producers of Aegina in Greece
Zula with her photography class partaking in a Swedish custom called Fika
Storytelling through Photography
In my photography class, the professor prioritized providing us with firsthand experiences, moving beyond the mere technical focus often found in introductory classes. We had the opportunity to visit various museums, with my favorite being Fotografiska, Stockholm’s photography museum. This experience allowed us to practice interpreting and critiquing art. Our assignments involved creating a portrait series that emphasized finding meaning through expression and framing. Moreover, this class allowed me to engage with Swedish individuals, using photography as a medium to better understand them.
Comparative Economics
My second course, Comparative Economics, aligns perfectly with my research interests. It has been an exceptional learning experience, delving into the factors that shape a nation’s response to crises. We examine economic systems, resource allocation processes, forms of government, policies and regulations (and their beneficiaries), market organization, trade agreements, alliances, and developmental capabilities. This course highlights the significance of studying comparative economics and its role in comprehending and navigating the complexities of the economy.
Study Tour to Greece
During the course, we had the remarkable opportunity to embark on a study tour to Greece, led by our Greek professor. This trip provided a firsthand view of the effects of the Greek crisis and the resulting socio-economic landscape. We had the privilege to meet and interact with various individuals, including a farmer, a businessman, a doctor, and a board member of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund. Such encounters added depth to our understanding of the Greek situation and broadened our perspectives on real-world economic challenges.
Would you recommend this experience to other students?
The learning opportunities I have encountered have surpassed all my expectations. The DIS program offers a diverse selection of fields to study and provides flexible options that cater to individual preferences. I wholeheartedly recommend Stockholm and this program to anyone interested in studying abroad. Additionally, for those, like myself, who prefer not to be away for an entire semester, the summer program proves to be an excellent choice.
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
In the upcoming fall semester, I am honored to have been selected as the Head Resident Assistant (RA) of Shultz Hall on campus. Additionally, I will be serving as a Fellow for the Business and Economics Department, which marks my first semester in this role. I am excited to continue my involvement with the Women in Business and Economics Club as the President. I also aspire to revitalize the College Democrats organization, encouraging students to actively engage in local politics. Furthermore, I am eager to maintain my personal connections with the city government and contribute to the upcoming fall city council election.
The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics (CBE) prepares Allegheny College students to succeed in a diverse, global economy.
