Saint Mary's students experience New York with alumna
By Molly McVoy
Saint Mary's Editor
When 20 Saint Mary's students traveled to New York City for a business trip last spring, they had the opportunity to conquer the Big Apple. But it was nothing like their alumnae had done.
Now an approved course for the 2000-2001 academic year, the New York program, sponsored by the business department, is allowing Saint Mary's students to make powerful connections to Saint Mary's alumnae running the business world of the Big Apple.
"I think it increased our awareness of two main things," said Claude Renshaw, the organizer of last year's trial New York program. "It showed us how business operates and how it's all interconnected. It also showed the value of a Saint Mary's education and what it can lead to."
The program was built on the Saint Mary's alumnae involved in businesses in the New York City area. For example, the students saw the inner-workings of Nabisco thanks to Beth Culligan, a 1972 graduate of the College.
"It was an incredible opportunity that would not have been available to us on our own," said Angela Shearman, a senior business major who went on the trip. "To meet the president of Nabisco and have them roll out the red carpet for us was amazing." Students also visited Sports Illustrated where the photo editor, another alumnae, gave the students insight into the media business.
"The various places the students visited allowed them to get valuable information about careers and job opportunities," said Jill Vihtelic, chair of the business department. "I think for the department, in terms of servicing our students, we feel strongly that they need to get out and see these sort of things."
In addition to seeing local businesses, the students had a mini-course in the day in the life of a Wall Street's executive. They met with a 1975 graduate Patty Lurel Cook, who was bond trader and is now a stockbroker.
"One of the alums we met is a billion-dollar bond trader," Shearman said. "She has a really successful career, but she talked about how she managed to have a family as well. It was great to see the success on both sides."
However, the trip was not all business.
"We were invited to go to CBS and hear the announcements of all the new shows," Shearman said. "To see Faith Hill live at Carnegie Hall. That's incredible."
The course included a research paper on one aspect of the business community in New York City and small papers on each of the businesses they visited. The trip will now be a business course offered to freshmen, sophomores and juniors and will be held from May 12 to May 19.
All News Stories for Friday, September 8, 2000
