“I love my job and am very thankful for the opportunity that I have. None of this would have been possible without my four years at Penn State Altoona. I was recruited by Walmart/Sam's Club when I went to competition with Enactus in Cincinnati, OH. Penn State Altoona has prepared me for post-graduation. The internship, courses, and clubs have prepared me well for everything I have encountered.”
— Atta Opoku, '14
“I graduated with a health services concentration, and I'm working in the IT department as an EHR system analyst of a major healthcare organization, conducting analysis, implementing a new electronic health record (EHR), and supporting end users when they begin using the program. Both my coursework and my internship while at Penn State Altoona made the difference in getting this job. My course work definitely helped me get the internship. I did my internship in the pediatric department of the organization I'm working in now, which helped in the hiring process because I was already a step ahead of other applicants.”
— Danika Mull, '12
“My time at Penn State Altoona has influenced my career and helped me succeed. The most valuable of my experience was taking both marketing/management and the finance concentration. If it were not for doing both, I feel I would have struggled once entering my positions at Craneware and Honda. The two concentrations have complemented each other extremely well. I believe it is pivotal for students to have a well-rounded understanding of multiple disciplines. Working with lean departments and demanding so much out of each role, it makes it that much more important for an employee have a diverse background in multiple concentrations. Entering the workforce, my advice would be prepare to work extremely hard, long hours, and make sure you choose something you are passionate about. I am a firm believer that the more you love what you do, the more successful you will be.”
— Sean Buda, '10
“I just started my second tech company in San Diego this January. If anything, my entrepreneurship minor is what I am applying most. As an entrepreneur, I love building something from nothing more than anything else. There is no better feeling than cashing that first check. The challenge as an entrepreneur is to keep going, and there are multiple meanings behind that. First, you are going to have plenty of days where you want to just give up; those are the days you need to push through. Second, when you start to see progress, you need to not let up. If anything, push harder; momentum is essential.”
— Matt Borza, '12
“I am happy to be working in the field of my degree. After I graduated in 2010, I took my first job with ING Direct, which later turned into Capital One, where I took a job in finance. My experience at Penn State Altoona definitely prepared me for everything I had to face in the business world. I feel that the course work, along with the internship, were the biggest influences on my outcome in the business world. From the start, I excelled through the roles and was able to make many career advancements. The course work in my entrepreneurship minor had a great impact on how I was able to adapt to the business world and excel right from the beginning.”
— Christopher Patille, '10
“I am currently working as a marketing analyst and public relations coordinator for a child care chain in Pittsburgh, Brightside Academy. I work reporting and analytic across a variety of marketing platforms, and I also manage our public relations, dealing with news releases, community outreach programs, and social media. My education at Penn State Altoona was definitely valuable for my career path. This is my third professional position after college; I am working in my field of study and on the career path I've always wanted. I believe it was the course work in my combination degree that made the difference for me. I studied marketing and management, but also minored in communications and entrepreneurship. This allowed me to learn not only the business side of marketing, but also the communications aspect, which has been very helpful for my career path.”
— Rebecca Peters, '11
