Over 30 students and staff from the University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration recently traveled to The Big Apple where they were able to network directly with companies and Pitt alumni.
The annual networking excursion, developed by the Pitt Business Career Development Office, opens doors for students.
“This is my second year in a row attending the New York City trip, and I gained something different each time,” says Nicolette Messina (Junior – Finance & Accounting). “Last year, it opened the door for me to establish connections with recruiters and professionals at JPMorgan Chase, which eventually led to an internship opportunity for me for this upcoming summer.”
The action-packed, two-day visit in February 2019 began with giving students the opportunity to rub shoulders with alumni at a networking reception in the city’s Theatre District.
“At the alumni networking event, I talked to fellow Panthers who are now employed at companies like Bank of America, NBC, and McKinsey & Co,” says Hannah Baker (Junior—Supply Chain Management and Business Information Systems).
Students gained important perspective from their conversations with alumni.
“It gave me a great chance to network and gain valuable advice from people who were in my shoes not too long ago,” says Badr Fergany (Sophomore – Supply Chain & Business Information Systems).
The following day, students embarked on site visits at companies, traveling to the bustling offices of Bank of America, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Kantar Millward Brown, Ipsos, and SAP.
“On the 51st floor of SAP’s New York City headquarters, I learned how their company is committed to utilizing their platform to enable Fortune 500 companies to fully support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals,” Baker says. “I enjoyed listening to employees at SAP speak about their roles, the company culture, and successful projects. The experience built upon the favorable impression I had formed of SAP from interacting with them at Pitt Career fairs.”
Some students took time to arrange personal meetings with companies and customized their time in New York City.
“I met with the Google team at the Google’s New York City headquarters for a one-on-one meeting to discuss Google’s presence at Pitt and to get advice regarding personal relationships, mentoring, and books to read,” says Torrey Trahanovsky (Sophomore – Supply Chain & Global Management). “We made some lattes together and exchanged ideas for the remaining semester.”
Audrey J. Murrell, associate dean of Pitt Business and director of the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership, says the annual New York City networking trip is part of the school’s mission of taking students From the Classroom, To the City, To the World.
“Our annual New York City networking trip is so wonderful for our students because it allows them to interact with our successful alumni and grow their career network beyond the boundaries of Pittsburgh,” Murrell says. “The experience not only helps our students’ careers, it also gives our alumni the opportunity to interact with their potential future hires.”
When the New York City trip came to an end, students had gained new connections, experiences, and even greater excitement for the future.
“My decision to attend the Pitt Business New York City networking trip was one of the most beneficial decisions I have made to develop my network in the place where I want to begin my career,” Messina says. “I have always known I wanted to work in New York City after graduation, and this will help me get there.”
Take the Next Step
- Browse summer internship opportunities through the Pitt Business James B. Tafel Internship Program
- Connect with our alumni network and receive career support through the Pitt Business Mentoring Match program
- Learn how the Pitt Business academic advising team was ranked #1 in the nation in a recent ranking of undergraduate business schools
