Hometown: Duxbury, MA

MCAS Majors: Economics and International Studies

CSOM Minor: General Business

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

The most impactful aspect of Catalyst was the approach that the courses took to developing students’ foundation in business. We didn’t just learn the subject material; we also got the chance to apply it through case studies and situational analysis. Over the eight weeks, the faculty fostered a collaborative learning and working environment inside the classroom, which elevated our conversations and approaches to thinking. I feel as if I have come out of Catalyst with greater critical thinking and analytical skills, and a stronger ability to think on my feet. 

How did Catalyst impact your career and your academic trajectory?

The Catalyst Program created an intense yet enjoyable and engaged learning setting that has left me confident in my new business skills. I can’t wait to apply these as I interview to land an internship for next summer. In particular, Professor Wesner’s Business Law class had a major impact on me. In each class, he provoked enthusiastic conversations that made us all think more deeply about the subject matter, emphasizing the division that exists in today’s world and the importance of looking at both sides of each legal case. His enthusiasm and passion has propelled me to think about what steps I can potentially take in the field of law, and about how I can make an impact in my community and country. 

Hometown: Essex Fells, NJ

MCAS Major: Political Science

CSOM Minor: Accounting

Current Role: Assurance Staff, EY, Boston 

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

It remains difficult to condense the positive influence of the Catalyst Program down to one single aspect. After consideration, however, I believe that Catalyst’s personal touch was the most beneficial aspect for me, and for most of the program’s students as well. In the course of the normal calendar year, courses and professors can come and go in a blink of an eye due to the volume of students and the quantity of material. Catalyst’s professors, however, are there by design, and their teaching methods and expertise produce lessons and experiences that leave lasting impressions. In the classroom, I gained technical abilities in business and business law, and through the career module, I learned key life lessons.

How did Catalyst impact your career and your academic trajectory?

Catalyst provides an outlook into a world after college, especially for students who are in the most formative years of their college experience. I hadn’t given serious thought to the business world before the program, but I had an interest in subjects beyond my political science major. Mentorship from faculty like Professor Wesner gave me insight into a scenario in which the critical thinking skills from a liberal arts degree would be necessary, and could intersect with a meaningful career in the business world.

Hometown: Edina, MN

MCAS Major: Economics

CSOM Minor: Finance

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

Due to the connections I formed with my professors in Catalyst, I have fantastic mentors to help guide me through the rest of college. I find these connections to be the most beneficial part of Catalyst. Because of the unique setting, you can make more meaningful connections with professors than you can during the regular school year. I find myself in Professor Wesner’s office asking questions about law school and in Amy Donegan’s office asking questions about my resume every week. Having these resources and connections, especially as an MCAS student, has opened up many doors for me, both academically and professionally.

How did Catalyst impact your career and your academic trajectory?

Having the opportunity to hear from Catalyst and BC graduates about their careers helped me determine my career trajectory. Because these conversations with alumni happened in small groups, I got to ask meaningful questions and make meaningful connections. In addition to these conversations, the guidance I received and continue to receive from CSOM’s career development team has given me a more precise idea of my career trajectory and how I will go about achieving it. The Career Center has been extremely beneficial in helping me find and prepare for interviews, networking events, and internships. The connections I made and the resources I gained from Catalyst motivate me and help me achieve my career goals.

Hometown: Pittstown, NJ

MCAS Major: Mathematics

CSOM Minor: Accounting for CPAs

Current Role: Transaction Advisory Group Analyst, Alvarez & Marsal, Boston 

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

The Catalyst Program’s cohort model was my favorite aspect. Every day, we attended our classes with the same group of people, which promoted greater cohesiveness.  The model allowed us to learn more about our peers, and to learn more from them, which enriched the experience in and outside of the classroom. This cohort model fostered a sense of community, created an “all-in-this-together” mentality in the program, and helped us succeed both individually and as a group.

How did Catalyst impact your career and your academic trajectory?

Catalyst was a key instrument in shaping my career trajectory. As a mathematics major, I had always had an affinity for numbers, but Catalyst helped me to discover a passion for accounting, a subject I had never studied before the program. This discovery led me to pursue both an accounting for CPAs minor and an master’s degree in accounting at the Carroll School. Additionally, the Catalyst Program’s career practicum provided me with the networking, interviewing, and resume-writing skills I needed to confidently and successfully tackle the internship and job search processes, and I was lucky enough to receive offers from every firm I applied to. I can confidently say that I would not be in my current role at Alvarez & Marsal without the business knowledge, skills, passions, and trajectories I developed because of Catalyst.

Hometown: Salem, OR

MCAS Major: Economics

MCAS Minor: African & African Diaspora Studies

Summer ’22 Internship: Morgan Stanley Corporate Treasury, NYC 

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

My favorite aspect of the Catalyst Program was that it was during the summer. I was a rising Sophomore at the time, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after graduation. Catalyst provided a more liberated space during the summer, where I could reflect about my future very early on in my college career. Also, while most underclassmen spent summer vacationing or relaxing, doing Catalyst signals a dedication to educational enrichment!

How did Catalyst impact your career and your academic trajectory? 

Catalyst supported my career goals by equipping me with technical skills through practice with programs like Tableau and Excel. I also had the opportunity to connect with BC alumni through career panels. This was a great chance to network as well as to learn about what job opportunities were out there.

Hometown: Larchmont, NY

MCAS Major: Economics

CSOM Minor: Accounting for Finance & Consulting

Post-Grad Role: Sales and Trading, Citigroup 

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

There are so many things I enjoyed about Catalyst. I must say, I was not initially thrilled by the idea of spending part of my summer in school. However, after completing just one week of the program, I was captivated. The professors did such a terrific job of engaging us, instructing us, and providing us with extra help whenever we needed it. They are the best of the best, and they truly embody what it means to be an Eagle. Catalyst also showed me that CSOM and the business world are not impermeable as a student with a liberal arts background. I think that students in MCAS tend to think that they cannot pursue a career in finance, but Catalyst showed me that this was certainly not the case.

How did Catalyst impact your career and your academic trajectory?

Through classes on the fundamentals of finance, financial accounting, Excel, and marketing, it helped me confirm that I’m interested in finance and gave me a very strong foundation as I entered my sophomore year. Once I began applying, networking, and interviewing for internships, I often talked about Catalyst and how I chose to spend my summer immersing myself in this world. The career practicum was also an immense help, because I now had a resume, LinkedIn, cover letter, elevator pitch, and other tools that would prove necessary in the recruiting process. More than anything, though, Catalyst gave me a sense of confidence—after completing the program, I was confident that this is something that I could not only do, but excel in. Thanks to Catalyst, I interned at both Harris Williams and Citigroup during my junior summer, and I will be returning full-time to Citigroup after graduation.

Hometown: Wellesley, MA

MCAS Major: International Studies

MCAS Minor: Religion & American Public Life

Post-Grad Employer: Audax Private Equity, Boston 

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

Catalyst showed me how valuable a liberal arts education is in the business world. The analytical skills I have cultivated in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences are not only transferable to business; they also make me a more thoughtful and nuanced businesswoman. Being a liberal arts student with a foundational understanding of business helped me stand out in comparison to other applicants as I pursued and secured a job in finance.

How did Catalyst impact your career and your academic trajectory?

Growing up, I always wanted to work in foreign affairs, whether that be for the State Department, a government agency, or the United Nations. This passion led me to major in international studies at BC, but during the second semester of my freshman year, COVID-19 changed everything. When the pandemic ruined my plans to study abroad in South Africa, I applied last minute to the Catalyst Program. Having never considered studying business, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the fast-paced, competitive environment. The program completely redirected my career trajectory. Since my sophomore year, I have spent my summers working at a Boston-based private equity firm, and next year, I will be returning to the same firm as a full-time analyst. Although I am still an Arts and Sciences student, I am grateful that Boston College and the Catalyst Program introduced me to an exciting career I would otherwise have never imagined pursuing.

Hometown: New York, NY

MCAS Major: Political Science

CSOM Minor: Finance

Summer ’23 Internship: MUFG Bank, Sales and Trading, NYC 

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

My favorite aspect of Catalyst was the field trip that the Business Law class took to the Suffolk County Superior Courthouse and the John Adams Courthouse. It was fascinating to be in court while it was in session, and to learn about the building and how cases work there. Afterwards, we got lunch in the Seaport district, and we had the chance to socialize and talk about what we had learned.  

How did Catalyst impact your career and your academic trajectory?

Catalyst has helped shape my studies at BC and my career goals, as I am now pursuing a finance minor. I am excited to take more finance, law, and real estate classes in the Carroll School of Management. The program has also given me a strong business foundation and skillset, which definitely helped me obtain a seat in a sales and trading summer intern program at MUFG.

Hometown: Nashville, TN

MCAS Major: International Studies

CSOM Minor: Marketing

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

The most helpful aspect was the professors and their commitment to helping you learn everything you needed to know by the end of the program. There was a lot of content to cover in a short amount of time, but the professors made learning challenging material interesting, engaging, and fun. They bring enthusiasm to the classroom every day, and there is never a dull moment. They choose to teach during the summer because they love it, and they help students reach their full potential while tackling challenging material.

How did Catalyst help inform your career trajectory and/or goals?

After Catalyst, I decided to switch my minor to marketing and shift my career trajectory toward this aspect of the business world. I don’t think I would have considered picking up a marketing minor without completing the Catalyst Program. My marketing classes thus far have been some of my most challenging yet interesting classes at Boston College. I am so grateful to the Catalyst Program and the amazing professors, because it has opened up this exciting new door for me.

Hometown: Randolph, MA

MCAS Major: Communication

Current Role: People Advisory Services Consultant, EY, Boston 

What was the most helpful aspect of the Catalyst Program for you?

As cliché as it may sound, my favorite aspect of the Catalyst Program was the courses/modules. The intentionality with which the program has developed the curriculum was evident. As a communications major in Arts & Sciences, I was not aware of the sheer breadth of business and the many areas it encompasses. However, after engaging in Catalyst’s wide array of courses on marketing, business law, leadership, and more, I began to develop an appreciation for the dynamic and multifaceted nature of business, as well as an awareness of how my liberal arts skills and background are immensely valued and needed in the business world. This newfound knowledge allowed me to envision new possibilities for a long-term career in business, which I am forever grateful for. 

How did Catalyst impact your career and your academic trajectory?

In addition to giving me this awareness of the value of my liberal arts skills, the program catalyzed my career trajectory by helping me understand how to present myself to professionals and companies in tangible and authentic ways. I had a newfound confidence in myself and my abilities, and felt as though I belonged in business, even though I hadn’t majored in business. Essentially, Catalyst equipped me with the knowledge and confidence I needed to be successful in the business space, and led to my internship at EY and my current full-time role in their People Advisory Services practice.