Over 130 students and 55 industry professionals attended Seton Hall’s Finance Networking
Forum on Tuesday, October 4th. The event, hosted annually by the Stillman School of Business, in partnership with The Career Center, provides an opportunity for students to make connections with professionals in the
areas of wealth management, banking, financial services, and other major corporations.

When speaking to Mark Schild, the Associate Dean of the Stillman School of Business and instructor for the finance
department, he expressed the value of attending sharing, “It’s why we encourage freshmen
to go, all the way up to seniors and graduate students. For a lot of people, it is
their first time talking about what they want to do when they grow up and what their
job can hopefully become. Students can turn the conversation around and ask potential
employers how they got to where they are. It takes skill and you learn that by practicing.”

Chloe Jakubowski, a senior accounting major attended the forum as a campus ambassador
for RSM. She explained, “Sometimes it is intimidating for people to go up to professionals.
Since I’m a student, I feel like I am more approachable to talk to.” Reflecting on
her experience at Seton Hall she said, “You can make more personal connections and
have longer conversations. At these smaller events, I start to remember the people
who come back.” At the event she connected with fellow classmates and even shared
opportunities with RSM.

The event is open to all Seton Hall majors, alumni, and faculty. Many participating
professionals were alumni, returning to campus to share their time and experiences
with interested Seton Hall students. Lauren Galan, a recent graduate of Seton Hall
(class of 2020), attended the forum to share her experience at Goldman Sachs and her
role as a Global Market Associate. When asked why she likes coming back to her Alma
Mater she explained, “It goes back to my non-traditional background. I like coming
back to talk to students and my hope is to find students of non-traditional finance
backgrounds. Maybe they got into finance later during their time at Seton Hall, or
they are now realizing they want to pursue a job in finance. If I can reach out and
connect with even one person, I can help someone struggling to navigate the change
in their career or trajectory.”

Leiya Istambouli, a senior financial mathematics major, shared her experience at the
event. “Knowing that everyone was from Seton Hall made it more comfortable to walk
up and shake their hand. We already had one thing in common. Everyone there representing
a company really wanted to be there. They really want to talk to you,” Istambouli
stated.

Michele Henson offered her perspective as an alumna who has been in the industry for
years. She noted, “It’s a great opportunity for students to get advice without feeling
like you are talking to an employer. It gets to feel a little bit more natural. These
events let you get a good foundation when it comes to introducing yourself or reciting
your elevator pitch. They are key building blocks to building a career.”

It is highly encouraged for students from all majors and class years to take part
in the professional networking opportunities available on campus. These events provide
those interested in certain industries the opportunity to have informal conversations
with professionals in the field. These conversations may reveal helpful information
and advice about various career path options shared directly by professionals with
unique and inspiring words to share.

For more networking opportunities, resources, and events students can browse the Career
Center website, Engage page, and Instagram. 

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