Dickinson Launches Finance & Business Network in New York City
Finance network video image
video by Stephen Munchel
ALUMNI AND PARENTS IN FINANCE & BUSINESS GATHER at the Penn Club
by Matt Getty
Over 100 alumni and parents gathered at the Penn Club in New York to celebrate the launch of Dickinson's Finance & Business Network. The network marks a new approach in Dickinson’s career services aimed at strengthening internship opportunities as well as career advice by focusing on specific fields and building networking opportunities and pathways.
“I'm so excited by what this gathering of Dickinsonians represents,” Provost & Dean Renée Cramer told attendees. “It's a turning point for the way that we are approaching business and finance career preparation. … We have moved toward a model that helps our students envision their career pathway and surround themselves with a career community.”
Although informal Dickinson networks in the fields of finance and business in New York City have long existed among graduates, the new network establishes a formal way for Dickinsonians to foster connections and share their experiences. And that’s exactly what attendees did, with alumni working at Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, NBCUniversal and more connecting throughout the night.
“This network is such a big deal for Dickinson,” said Ruth Ferguson '92, executive vice president of human resources at Wells Fargo. “New York City is a big town. We all have really busy lives, but the one thing that grounds us is our Dickinson College connection.”
Alumni working at Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, NBCUniversal and other companies connect during the event. Photo by Joe O'Neill.
The network also provides a valuable resource to current students, who can work with these alumni to find internships and explore these fields. “I think networking in general is an important factor for anyone in their career journey,” said Will Tsang ’06, senior vice president of global communications at Mastercard.
Laura Chen ’11, a senior vice president at Morgan Stanley, agreed. “I think this network is wonderful opportunity to give access to students who want to learn about the business and finance worlds,” she said.
One recent graduate who attended affirmed the power of that kind of access. Zach Gordon ’23, who just launched his own career as an associate at Deloitte after an internship with the company, stressed how valuable internships can be for students. “As a recent grad, it gives you perspective, but it also allows you to see possibilities—like, okay, this is maybe where I could go,” he explained.
The celebration affirmed the strength of Dickinson’s ability to prepare students for careers in finance and business, as the network is only possible because of the many alumni leaders already in these fields.
“It's amazing how much of a community there is around Dickinson in the worlds of finance and in the worlds of business,” said Brian Dorfler, senior vice president of human resources at NBCUniversal, noting that the network is likely to make that community even more robust. “I wish I had this 20 years ago, and I would totally take advantage of that now. I think it's a great opportunity for our students going forward.”
Holcombe Green '92, global head of private capital advisory at Lazard, provided some insight into how the network will do that. “All of us, when we were young, got a break in order to get to where we are,” he said. “The hope is that with this launch and this network we can provide those breaks to students who want to come and work in finance in New York City.”
But Green, who regularly recruits Dickinson graduates to work at Lazard, also noted that "giving students a break" is often as rewarding for the company as it is for the graduate. “I want the best people I can possibly have,” he said. “I think those people are in Carlisle, Pennsylvania."
Members of the Dickinson Finance & Business Network planning committee (from left: Laura Chen '11, Holcombe Green '92, Ruth Ferguson '92 and Rohan Sen ’08) pose with Provost & Dean Renée Cramer (right) during the event. Photo by Joe O'Neill.
The launch of the Dickinson Finance & Business Network builds on the continuing momentum of Dickinson Forward, which includes the recent announcement of the Change a Life Challenge, which aims to add $20 million in scholarship gifts over the next year and a half.
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Published January 25, 2024