Alumni Profiles

“Do not feel the need to go into industries that have well-defined career paths. These can be helpful if you know what you want your career to look like, but I enjoyed going smaller and getting a broader role right out of school.”

“Don’t stress so much about finding the “perfect” job. Adjusting to your first role is a big step in itself and there’s a lot to gain from each experience. Understand what’s most important to you – it might be the work you’re performing on a daily basis, location, salary (which is OK!) or the impact you’re having on the world around you. Based on your priorities, you’ll be directed in one path and gain something valuable from that first role, whether it’s what you love, tolerate or hate. It’s all helpful feedback in what will be a long career.”

“Be open and be humble to try new things.”

W&M Activities

Clubs & Groups: W&M Television, Monitor Journal of International Studies, Mortar Board and Honors Society

Additional Activities: Tour Guide and Graduate Assistant

Sophomore Summer Internship

Verizon Communications, Internal Audit Intern in Northern Virginia

Junior Summer Internship

PWC, External Audit in Washington DC

First Job

Global Management Trainee at Anheuser-Busch InBev UK

Trained for 10 months

Stayed at AB InBev, transferred to Finance team

Current Position

Vice President of Finance

Leads Europe Finance Team to deliver outstanding stakeholder service

Additional Thoughts

“Join a company with a proven track record of lateral moves, between departments and countries. This will keep your career interesting and MUCH more well-rounded. Never be afraid to take a challenge – the worst thing that can happen is that you reset your career with another firm.”

W&M Activities

Clubs & Groups: Young Life

Additional Activities: Men’s Soccer

Junior Summer Internship

KPMG, Commercial Audit in Washington DC

First Job

Commercial Audi, KPMG LLP, Washington DC

“What separated KPMG was the people I interacted with through the interview process. At every step, they were professional, but demonstrated priorities that matched my own – family first, community is important, etc.”

Current Position

In his 11 years with KPMG, Scott went from an Audit Associate, to a Senior Audit Manager and is now Managing Director.

Additional Thoughts

“Talk with professors, alumni, etc. to learn more. And don’t stress – you have your whole life ahead of you!”

“Talk to people in that field and find out what the day to day is really like both first starting off and as you get some experience; would also ask what the path to ‘beyond entry level’ looks like, what are the typical durations people stay in that role, and what are some of the common exit opportunities. Would definitely ask that person why it is they went into whichever industry it is and why they are still in it (or perhaps switched)?”

“Be open minded. You won’t even know what wide range of jobs and career opportunities even exist.”

“Start exploring your career options as soon as possible.”

W&M Activities

Clubs & Groups: Alpha Kappa Psi and Project Phoenix

Additional Activities: Muscarelle Museum Volunteer, Entrepreneurial Business Plan competitions and DoG Street to Wall Street

Sophomore Summer Internship

INROADS Intern at Bank of America’s Consumer Bank in Washington DC

Junior Summer Internship

INROADS Intern at Bank of America’s Consumer Bank in Washington DC

First Job

Equity Research at T. Rowe Price in Washington DC

Graduate School

Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania

“The MBA’s value came from some coursework, but more from expanding my personal and professional networks and experiences. It gave me an opportunity to explore private equity, venture capital, and entrepreneurship.”

Second Job

Sell-Side equity research at Morningstar in Chicago

Current Position

Senior Portfolio Manager at Brown Capital Management in Baltimore

“BCM has allowed me to draw on the full breadth of my investment experience. As a relatively small and growing firm, I am also increasingly involved in the firm’s strategic decision making as I have become more senior in my career.”