WASHINGTON, PA (Jan. 21,2019)—How does a Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) education prepare you for success? For Anna Jefferies ’18, a mix of leadership opportunities and unique classroom opportunities paved the way to a career in finance.
Anna is a Financial Analyst for UPMC’s Finance Management Rotation (FMR) Program. She came across the job through a connection with Alex Sossi ’13.
“Alex and I met when I was a work study student during my freshmen year and we really connected,” Anna said. “She reached out to me when she got a job at UPMC as a recruiter, and thought the position would be a really good fit for me. She talked me through the program and was my first point of contact. When I interviewed for the job, I knew it was where I wanted to be.”
As a part of the program, Anna will spend a year working as an analyst in a hospital, insurance, and corporate setting before taking on a senior financial analyst role in the organization after three years. The program puts Anna on the fast track to a senior position, which normally takes a minimum of five years of experience to achieve. From that point, there are opportunities to become a lead analyst or manager less than 10 years after graduation.
Anna sees her W&J education as a key factor in getting her where she is today. She said her major in Financial Economics and minors in Accounting and Mathematics, as well as the personalized attention she received from W&J professors, provided invaluable knowledge that assists her in her day to day workload. Her leadership experiences on campus as a resident advisor, LINK mentor, and member of the Gateway Team have prepared her for the fast track to management. And of course, she values the relationships she started at W&J that helped her get to this level so early in her career.
“If I was going to give advice to students looking for job opportunities, I would say that it’s important to go to formal networking opportunities with alumni and career services events, but never underestimate the power of informal networking,” she said. “Think about how you present yourself on a daily basis, and don’t be afraid to talk to people. You’ll meet some great people at W&J and you never know how it could affect your future.”
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit washjeff.dev, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
