Tell us about yourself?
I’m from Lovettsville, Va and graduated from Duquesne with a degree in Finance in 2016. The past two years I’ve spent working for Ernst & Young in their Advisory practice, working with government clients in Washington, DC learning from a fast paced environment with the ability to see vastly different work streams. I’ve been able to have gained both exposure and experience doing performance evaluation reviews of donor funds for the Inter-American Development Bank and acting as an Internal Auditor doing A-123 work with the Department of Justice. Both of these engagements have added significant value to my professional skillset that will be applicable to my future work. I have also been very much involved in the pursuit of new engagements for the firm’s government sector; contributing to writing technical sections of proposals for federal agencies such as HHS, DFAS, and DHS. Working seamlessly with these clients and contributing to the firm’s growth has prepared me to take on challenges of graduate business study and next generation leadership. Over the next year I will be on an unpaid leave of absence while still completing all necessary EY trainings and compliance checks to stay connected to the firm.
My top preference after completing the program is to work with EY to find areas/sectors that fit with the skills I learn from the program and professional interests/pursuits. With all of this going on in my professional life, I have still managed to make the time for continual education. I also enrolled in a Financial Planning course roughly a year ago from James Madison University, which I had taken at nights, learning about insurance, estate, and investment planning, etc. I presented a case study to a board of financial planners in April which was approved, completing the certificate. Using knowledge learned from both of these areas alongside the challenge, merit and knowledge learned from a Duquesne MBA is creating a niche for myself to excel in and become a necessary asset to any company.
What is one of your favorite things to do in Pittsburgh?
Go on a run. I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon in 2017. There’s a lot of sights to get lost in while out on a run.
What are you most looking forward to in the MBA-SBP program?
The academic and professional challenge.
If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning a medal for?
Archery. However it already is an Olympic sport but I’m going to pick it anyways. I do a lot of deer/turkey hunting and I am a pretty good shot. My brother, dad, and some friends have some fun competitions between hunts. We always joke around saying we should sign up for a competition but never do.
What could you give a 30-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation?
The golf swing/how to play. You could teach the novice player all the basics including stance grip etc. or really get into the intricacies of plane, draw vs a cut, launch angle, and spin rates for the more advanced. There’s a lot of sub-topics to cover depending on the audience.
What is the best way to start the day?
Coffee.
One-Year MBA 