SXU's Graham School of Management Hosts Careers in Management and Marketing Event
The Saint Xavier University (SXU) Graham School of Management (GSM) hosted its annual Careers in Management and Marketing event on November 21. A panel of alumni experts who studied management, marketing, health care management and non-profit management spoke on various field topics. The group of alumni, whose academic and professional careers span widely across the business range, gave current students advice on potential career paths, career preparation advice, industry experience and the development of in-demand career skills.
The panel was moderated by Regina McNally, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Division of Management and Marketing. McNally was named as one of the key mentors who helped alum Patrick Spencer '18 reach his goals. Spencer, who studied in the Bachelor of Business Administration Fast-Track program, is currently a mortgage and loan officer for a community bank. He is preparing to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and plans to earn a Master of Business Administration. During his time at SXU, Spencer was part of the Financial Management Association. "The Fast-Track (BBA) program was the perfect opportunity for me. It's wonderfully geared toward returning students and helped me learn how the real world works, what employers are looking for and how to handle responsibilities," said Spencer.
Like Spencer, alum Rohan Vaidya '14 credits his time at SXU for preparing him for the business field. Vaidya, who holds a long list of accomplishments, owns two businesses, works as an analyst, and also spends time working on real estate and angel investing. Vaidya urged current students to take advantage of online learning platforms, like Coursera, to further their education. The courses helped him increase his knowledge of web development, sales, database design and coding. Vaidya was especially thankful for courses he took with GSM faculty Muhammad Chishty, Ph.D., who guided him to understand corporate finance. "The knowledge I gained about corporate finance and the real world helps me when I am evaluating companies. Current students, this program will prepare you and is worth the time and effort you must put in," said Vaidya.
Alumni who earned their degrees in health administration felt the knowledge they gained at SXU was essential to their career development. Alma Perez Suciu '17 is a customer engagement manager at the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare. "My time at SXU gave me a background in business. I am especially thankful for being able to learn with Dr. (Indranil) Ghosh (GSM faculty) and getting to take finance and econ courses. I learned the things that are critical in making business decisions. I was president of the Student Advisory Committee and I would recommend students get involved in extracurricular activities and take advantage of professor expertise," said Perez Suciu.
Alumna Sabra Nicole Balling-Tellez '19 earned her degree in business management and credits GSM faculty Suzanne Cromlish, Ph.D., for helping her succeed. Now a project manager, Balling-Tellez is responsible for managing and estimating projects, creating proposals and completing invoicing. She hopes to become a leader within her company. "My experience at SXU allowed me to learn time-management skills and helped me to develop my confidence in speaking. I felt fully prepared to enter the real world," said Balling-Tellez.
After the panel presentation, students had an opportunity to network with alumni and faculty. Director of GSM Undergraduate Programs Nicholas Mancari said, "This is one of our most successful and beneficial events held annually for current students. I personally remember going to this event every year as an undergrad. Being able to hear from business leaders and alums and practice networking in-house at GSM helps prepare our students as they go out into the business world."
SXU is proud of all alumni accomplishments and looks forward to watching them grow and learning more about what they're doing.