Category Archive: Economics | Business and Economics

Economics

How to “Excel” at your Internship

By Beth Ryan October 22nd 2019

2019/2020 Fellows, from left - first row: Shannon Putnam '20, Emma Black '20, Rachel Tobler '21, Trevor Day '20, Carlos Sanchez '20, Rafael Balanquet '20 — 2019/2020 Fellows, from left – first row: Shannon Putnam ’20, Emma Black ’20, Rachel Tobler ’21, Trevor Day ’20, Carlos Sanchez ’20, Rafael Balanquet ’20

The CBE Fellows invite all Allegheny students for a special event on Gator Day – Allegheny’s day of programming centered on helping students connect their curricular and co-curricular experiences with the next steps they want to take at Allegheny and beyond.

The Fellows have created a new workshop entitled, How to “Excel” at your Internship based on their collective experience as both job applicants and interns in a wide variety of workplace environments. A key requirement for most positions today is a working knowledge of Microsoft Office’s spreadsheet program, Excel® – in fact, employers expect students to be proficient in Excel from their first day on the job.

But what about those soft skills everyone talks about? The Fellows recognized that it’s not simply the technical skills required for Excel, the key to success is understanding how to achieve the kind of results that benefit the organization.

To master both skills, the Fellows have designed this Excel workshop to teach Excel tips, tricks and shortcuts and share real life examples of how these skills can help students to succeed in the workplace. All six Fellows will be on hand to answer questions on Excel and internships as well as discuss how they were able to utilize these skills in their past internships. Participants will receive a handout with Excel shortcuts.

The event will be held on Tuesday, October 29 from 9:30 – 10:30 am in Quigley #220. Students can feel free to bring their laptops or use the computers in the room. A light breakfast will be provided.

Center for Business & Economics Fellows

Center for Business & Economics Fellows CBE Fellows are a select group of motivated students that function as a leadership team to support CBE programming and act as student ambassadors. Activities are structured to enable students to include this position on their respective resumes as a valuable work experience. To qualify for this position, students must have a keen interest in both business and economics, maintain a good academic standing, and regularly attend all CBE activities.

Center for Business and Economics Fellows

Gator Day

The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics attracts Allegheny’s next generation of business innovators and entrepreneurs by providing a host of co-curricular activities that connect with and deepen their classroom experiences.

Gators in Economic Development

By Beth Ryan September 17th 2019

Christian Walker ’20 and Ethan Graubard ’20 each interned this summer at different organizations pursuing the same interest – economic development.

Sales, Service and Economic Development

Ethan Graubard did double duty this summer working for Enterprise Rental as a customer assistance representative, and as a business liaison at the Bergen County Economic Development office. “It was a hustle all summer,” commented Graubard.

Ethan interned in 2018 at Enterprise as a management trainee, then advanced in 2019 to a Customer Assistance Representative where he gained experience in sales, customer service, management and logistics. “I have always been interested in urban planning and economic revitalization,” he said, “in fact, I did my senior project on public/private non-profit organizations.” He then earned a position at the Bergen County, NJ economic development office team whose goal is to attract business and promote tourism in the county, completing both internships in one summer.

Ethan is an Economics major with minors in Political Science and Community & Justice Studies, a student-athlete (varsity football), and a mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization.

Entrepreneurship in Hermitage, PA

Christian "Dubs" Walker — 2019 Big Idea Winner, Christian Walker ’20 (right side, second from the end) interned for the second year at the eCenter @ LindenPointe, a non-profit business incubator dedicated to helping early-stage startups.

Christian Walker interned for the second year at the eCenter @ LindenPointe, a non-profit business incubator dedicated to helping early-stage startups. He participated along with other interns and entrepreneurs both teaching and attending seminars designed to improve the group’s skills at creating new business start-ups and growing existing businesses.

Christian owns and operates animatr, a brand that destigmatizes the negative misconceptions surrounding Japanese “anime” animation fans with aesthetic streetwear.

“I learned that it’s not just about having a good idea,” said Walker, “it’s about how you implement it.” He added, “My business revenue increased by 350% thanks to the accelerator and hard work.”

Christian is an Applied Computer Science major with a minor in Economics, a Bonner Scholar, and the 2019 Winner of the Big Idea Competition, Allegheny’s annual contest that emulates the experiences seen on the popular CNBC broadcast, Shark Tank.

Allegheny College is grateful for the many opportunities extended to our students through organizations like the eCenter @Linden Point, Enterprise and the Bergen County Economic Development office. The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics works in partnership with Allegheny Career Education to mentor students on how to locate and apply for internships, secure housing and apply for funding sources to defray costs.

Project Management in the Medical Device Industry

By Beth Ryan September 5th 2019

Do you think it’s hard to juggle priorities as a college student? Meet Eric Jones

J. Eric Jones, Operations Manager Imagine what it would be like to be the site manager for a 172,000 square foot manufacturing facility and lead a team of 6 managers, over 300+ labor assemblers and 3 tactical buyers – that’s just another day in the life of Eric Jones.

Attend this presentation to learn more about how Eric approaches project management, leadership and strategy to contribute to $750 million in annual revenue as the man responsible to oversee the assembly, testing and packaging of 1.2 million CPAP devices, 91,000 communicators and 275,000 personal help buttons.

The Allegheny community is welcome to attend the first in the series of Lunchtime Learning presentations on September 10 at 12:15 pm in the Henderson Auditorium, Quigley Hall. Don’t miss this chance for a free lunch and the opportunity to meet this key advisor and thought leader in the medical device industry.

The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics sponsors this series to provide students with opportunities to gain valuable information on topics and industries related to internships and careers in business and economics. Speakers often choose one of two broad areas to discuss with students. The first is career oriented, and the second is issue oriented. Both topics enable students to navigate and explore job options, understand the steps necessary to pursue opportunities and learn how to self-advocate for opportunities in the workplace.

Meet Dr. Kathryn Bender, Professor of Environmental Economics

By Beth Ryan August 5th 2019

Dr. Kathryn Bender, Professor of Environmental Economics The field of Economics is filled with a wide variety of sub-disciplines, one of the most fascinating is Environmental Economics – the area of economics dealing with the relationship between the economy and the environment. Dr. Bender joins the Allegheny College Center for Business and Economics this fall to help students discover the economics of natural resources.

Dr. Bender commented, “I’m excited to start at Allegheny this fall! I’m involved in several projects on consumer food waste behavior and hopes to find new avenues to explore at Allegheny around this topic.”

Dr. Bender earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics from The Ohio State University. Dr. Bender’s research interests are in the area of agricultural, environmental, and development economics. Dr. Bender’s dissertation, “Date Labels and Food Waste: A study of the effect of label characteristics on food waste in the United States,” studies the confluence of environmental science, economics, and marketing in the food distribution ecosystem in the United States. She is also interested in exploring the effect of feminine hygiene programs in developing countries on the environment along with women’s empowerment, health, and education.

In her free time, Dr. Bender enjoys playing soccer, riding horses, and hanging out with her two dogs, Huck and Nala.

Gator Intern Trio Trevor Day ’20, Brendon Urso ’20 and Taylor Renk ’20 @Hefren-Tillotson

By Beth Ryan July 16th 2019

Hefren-Tillotson 2019 Summer Interns This summer three Economics students are working for Hefren-Tillotson in their summer internship program. Trevor Day ’20, Brendon Urso ’20 and Taylor Renk ’20 are among the student group attending a presentation by the Investment Advisory Team where they learned about the different ways the company looks at investment opportunities.

According to CBE Fellow Trevor Day, “Hefren-Tillotson is a great place to intern for a summer because they encourage you to find projects that interest you. Hefren-Tillotson always encourages you to find a learning opportunity.”

Hefren-Tillotson is home to many Allegheny College alumni, and actively supports Allegheny students and programs. Today, with over $12 billion in client assets, Hefren-Tillotson is one of the oldest and largest full-service wealth management firms headquartered in Western Pennsylvania. They were recently named among the “Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania” by the Pittsburgh Business Times.

Our special thanks to Kim Tillotson Fleming, Chairman and CEO of Hefren-Tillotson, 2017 Executive in Residence, and Don Belt ’93 Hefren-Tillotson President, for their continued service and support of Allegheny students.

#gatorsintheworkforce: Emma Black ’20

By Beth Ryan July 2nd 2019

Emma Black ’20 is on the job in Pittsburgh with UPMC in their Finance Summer Associates program. Emma is an Economics major and German minor, a CBE Fellow, chief executive officer of the Mu chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta and an Alden Scholar.

The Summer Associate position is a fantastic opportunity for Allegheny students to live and work in Pittsburgh – We think the view from Emma’s office is amazing!

The UPMC Summer Associates program is designed for junior and senior undergraduate students offering a variety of programs in divisions such as Corporate, Insurance, Health Services, and UPMC Enterprises.

Emma’s view of Pittsburgh from her office window

The UPMC Summer Associates Program is a unique opportunity for students to gain practical experience in their respective fields of interest and provides exposure to real-world business opportunities. The program emphasizes professional development, networking, and community service.

Allegheny College welcomes UPMC to campus annually where students learn first-hand about internship and job opportunities. Support for safe housing for students living away from home is offered through the Allegheny Gateway Career Services and the Economics Department.

#gatorsintheworkforce, #womenineconomics #summerinternship

#gatorsintheworkforce: Liam Wilby ’20

By Beth Ryan June 18th 2019

ECON major Liam Wilby ’20 (standing, 3rd from the right, blue tie) celebrates with the Right to Play UK staff in London, England at their successful fundraising event, “Right to Play Annual Sports Quiz” where the team earned over £250,000 for the charity. Liam is a summer intern with Right to Play UK, a charity that seeks to protect, educate and empower children to rise above adversity using the power of play.

#gatorsintheworkforce

Board of Visitors Mini Conference & 18th Executive Roundtable

By Beth Ryan March 27th 2019

The Allegheny Community and students of all interests are invited to attend two special events hosted by the Center for Business and Economics:

Board of Visitors Mini – Conference
April 8, 2019 | 9:00 am – noon
Quigley, 2nd floor, various classrooms

The Board of Visitors is an advisory body for the Center for Business and Economics. The Board of Visitors advisory group is a powerful asset for students and faculty alike. This year’s event includes the following sessions, followed by refreshments and networking opportunities with our visiting executives.

All three sessions run concurrently with session #1 from 9:00 – 9:50 am, and session #2 from 10:00 am – 10:50 am. Beginning at 11:00 am, there will be refreshments & networking with the visiting Board of Visitors members until noon.

Managing a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace, Room 215
Graduate School — When, Where and How, Room 217
Leveraging your Comp & Extracurricular Activities to get your First Job, Room 220

The 2019 visiting Board Members in attendance for both conference topics and networking include:

Jennifer Daurora ’99, Trustee, former Chief of Operations, McGinnis Sisters Specialty Foods
Mark Hanson ’83, Senior Vice President, Freddie Mac Securitization Division
Terry Hartford ’81, Trustee, Vice President, ATI Defense
Sean Mathis ’65, Founding Partner, New Centuropm Capital Partners
Devone McLeod ’13, Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Reby Advisors
Samuel Moss, Doctor of Letters, Allegheny College, Senior Director of Finance, CF Foundation
Evelyn Pendleton ’87, Vice President, PA Market Chief Financial Officer & Coach of the Mid-Atlantic Territory for Aetna, a CVS Company
Roger Tufts ’76, Director, Policy Analysis Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, U. S. Treasury
Don Belt ’93, President, Hefren-Tillotson
Jim Spaulding ’80, Sr. Vice President and General Counsel (retired), Vanguard Health Systems, Inc.
Kyle O’Connor ’03, Sr. Vice President of Corporate Development at TriState Capital

Business Culture and the #MeToo Movement
April 8, 2019 | 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Ford Memorial Chapel, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA

The Center for Business and Economics proudly presents the 18th Executive Roundtable on a critical topic of national interest. Our goal is to provide our local community with a thoughtful, balanced inquiry into the important questions of our time.

What started as a simple phrase of support for survivors of sexual assault in 2006 has evolved into the viral #MeToo movement that has shone a spotlight on the culture of sexual harassment in some American workplaces. Sexist comments, unwanted sexual advances, and demands for sexual favors have contributed to a culture in which both women and men report lost work opportunities, reductions in income, demotions, and other forms of career impairment. In this roundtable, a group of experts will discuss the #MeToo movement and its impacts on the future of business, jobs, and careers.

This year’s panel of business leaders include:

Jennifer Daurora ’99 (Moderator) is an experienced executive leader, community builder and entrepreneur. As the former Chief of Operations of McGinnis Sisters Special Foods Stores, Ms. Daurora has deep experience in executive leadership, entrepreneurship, strategic planning, open book management, nonprofit management and governance, relationship management, data analysis, employee and community engagement. Ms. Daurora earned her BA in Economics at Allegheny College.

Sarah (Webster) Quinn, Attorney, Steptoe-Johnson focuses her practice in the area of energy (coal, oil and gas) and transactions throughout the Appalachian Basin. Mrs. Quinn also counsels higher education clients regarding workplace harassment, mental health issues, overtime regulations, transgender issues and Title IX. In addition, she helps institutions of higher education develop solutions for novel challenges both on and off campus. Ms. Quinn earned her BA in International Politics and Political Science at Westminster College and her JD at Ohio Northern University.

Mark Hanson ’83 is the Senior Vice President of Freddie Mac’s Securitization Division. In this role, he oversees Freddie Mac’s mortgage securitization efforts, including pass-thru, REMIC and strip issuance. He currently serves as the Executive Sponsor of Freddie Mac’s Women’s Network. Mr. Hanson earned his BS in Economics at Allegheny College and his MBA from the University of Rochester.

Karen Ubelhart ’77 is a senior analyst at Bloomberg. Ms. Ubelhart has covered the industrial sector for more than 30 years. Her time in the industry includes roles as the Managing Director at Lehman Brothers, a sector portfolio manager and analyst at Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, and an analyst at Oppenheimer. During her tenure Ms. Ubelhart has been ranked by both Institutional Investor and Greenwich Associates polls and has been a winner of Wall Street Journal’s Stock Picking Award. Ms. Ubelhart earned her BS in Economics at Allegheny College and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Learn more at https://sites.allegheny.edu/econ/center-for-business-and-economics/the-executive-roundtable/

The Board of Visitors and Executive Roundtable programs are supported by the Earl W. Adams, Jr. Endowment, established by Allegheny College Trustee William H. Brown, Jr., Allegheny Class of 1980, in honor of Professor Emeritus Earl William Adams, Jr. – teacher, mentor and friend.

#OneYearOut with Kyle O’Connell ’18

By Beth Ryan March 21st 2019

This interview is one of a series of interviews conducted by the Center for Business and Economics Fellows with recent Business & Economics graduates about life after graduation. It was conducted during the Fall 2018 semester by CBE Fellow, Troy Elphinstone ’19 with recent graduate, Kyle O’Connell ’18.

Troy: Where are you currently employed— How did you hear about this position?

Kyle: Currently, I am employed at Highmark Health where I am part of the Leadership Acceleration Program. I heard about the position after speaking with Highmark at the West Pacs career fair.

Troy: What do you do on a day to day basis?

Kyle: For the Leadership Acceleration Program, I rotate through four different areas of the company every six months, so my day to day will change. In my current rotation, I work on the Highmark Health Innovation Team where I’m tasked with both creating and implementing innovative ideas. These ideas typically address an existing problem within our organization/health care or attempt to revolutionize the industry in the future.

I’m currently leading a few major projects as well as a couple minor ones, so my days tend to vary. As an example, one day I might spend 4 hours out at one of our hospitals meeting with patients and clinicians followed by a 2 hour meeting to consolidate the information we found. On a different day, I might present the results or findings of a project to one of our senior leaders in the morning, meet with my team and other leaders around lunch, and then finish the afternoon with more heads down/individual work.
To summarize it briefly…No two days are the same.

Troy: How did Allegheny help prepare you for your current job?

Kyle: In my experience, people tend to question the value of an Economics/liberal arts degree due to its lack of specificity. While I’m yet to draw a MC curve (or any curve at that), Allegheny taught me more advanced skills that have allowed me to adapt in unfamiliar territory. I would say the “big two” I learned are critical thinking and business mindedness. I’m able to tackle projects and think through business processes that address some of the greatest challenges in healthcare—a skill people with more concentrated backgrounds seem to lack. There’s that saying out there about giving a man a fish versus teaching a man to fish—Allegheny provides you with the right tools to succeed even with limited experience.

Troy: What advice would you give to current Allegheny students?

Kyle: Find the thing or experience that separates yourself from others and use that as a major selling point. Put things in real terms—tell people what they need to hear and not what they want to hear. Constantly evaluate yourself and your work to determine if value is actually being created. Don’t be afraid to question ‘why’ because the status quo isn’t always the right way to do things.

#OneYearOut with Joe Wesolowski ’18

By Beth Ryan March 21st 2019

This interview is one of a series conducted by the Center for Business and Economics Fellows with recent Business & Economics graduates about life after graduation.

This interview was conducted during the Spring 2019 semester by CBE Fellow, Troy Elphinstone ’19 with recent graduate, Joe Wesolowski ’18.

Troy: Where are you currently employed? — How did you hear about this position?

Joe: I am currently employed by Crown Castle International. Crown Castle is a management, consulting, real estate, infrastructure, and technology company specifically for firms in the wireless communication and emerging technologies space. I interned for Crown in the summer of 2017 and had the opportunity to come back for a full time position. I found Crown Castle through some mutual connections formed at Allegheny and some general networking prior to the internship.

Troy: What do you do on a day to day basis?

Joe: I work on the Area Finance team for the Mid-West Area of the company. Each Area Financial Analyst is responsible for a certain line of business within the company (ie. Real Estate, Operations, etc). The goal is to support that line of business within each major city/office hub for the area by preparing beginning and end of quarter/year budgets, projections, forecasts, and any other financial planning for the group. Managers or Team/Project leads will come to the team for advisement on their big data projects or recurring issues/situations that may arise during the work day. We offer up assistance and provide feedback for their various projects/issues.

Troy: How did Allegheny help prepare you for your current job?

Joe: Allegheny does an outstanding job establishing their student’s theoretical foundations, but the greatest tool Allegheny drills into their student’s repertoire is communication and problem solving skills. Post grad Allegheny students will find out quickly that they are very well equipped to be an adaptable employee for any company they go and work for. Allegheny provides the refinement of skills that a lot of other young post grads do not have. Allegheny also provides a vast network of alumni and connections that want to help and see students succeed, so it can give you a leg up in an organization building those connections.

Troy: What advice would you give to current Allegheny students?

Joe: My advice for current Allegheny students is to absorb every opportunity that can help you grow as a person and a young professional. Do not take the small events for granted. If the department puts on a career talk or a skills building event, go to it. Also, do not be afraid to put yourself out there during your job search process. Utilize the department and the career education office, but do not be afraid to send out emails to alumni yourself. Put yourself out there and build your network as much as you can during your four years at Allegheny.