By: Thomas Dziubela
Siena College’s School of Business offers a litany of business majors and concentrations to choose from. The knowledge gained from Saint’s coursework is not limited to just the classroom, however, as dedicated club members and faculty advisors are constantly working to provide Saints with tangible experiences and networking opportunities. At the variety of business-centric extracurriculars at Siena, some of which are highlighted here, students can enhance their experience and resume while building lasting connections with the community.
Siena College’s Nu Xi chapter of the Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) is an honors society that is dedicated to honoring academic accomplishments in Accounting, Data Analytics, and Finance Majors, in addition to giving students opportunities to grow in their chosen careers. Siena’s Nu Xi chapter puts this into practice by hosting a variety of events that emphasize the opportunities Saints have to make a difference in the business field. These include weekly professional speaker events featuring various accounting firms, an Etiquette Dinner, an Accounting Career Panel, the Breast Cancer Walk and Girls on The Run events, volunteering for the Food Bank of New York, and the annual Career Fair (co-hosted with the CIIC).
Beta Alpha Psi’s President Morgan Cambell speaks to the value of a Beta Alpha Psi membership: “This organization is a great opportunity for students to network with professionals from a variety of companies including the Big 4 Accounting Firms. We do a variety of activities including professional, service, and reaching-out activities with our candidates and members. Throughout BAP, many of our students are able to get job and internship opportunities through Beta Alpha Psi and further their professional development skills that will be used far into their future.”
Working closely with the student officers are co-advisors Professor Durkee and Professor Waters, who help establish how to achieve the purpose of the Nu Xi chapter. “The goals of BAP are to provide students with professional development, networking, and community engagement opportunities. Every semester we try to think of fun and engaging events to meet these goals. Ultimately, these events help our members as well as the Siena community to become well-rounded professionals in their careers. Our chapter emphasizes networking and diversity initiatives. Our members and candidates are actively involved on campus and in the surrounding area. We also offer tutoring services.”
Since a Siena College education emphasizes service to others, BAP’s service program fits perfectly with our college’s mission. Beta Alpha Psi tutor Rebecca Fankhanel is grateful for the “many service opportunities to get involved in the community. One of the ones that [Beta Alpha Psi] offers is tutoring which has been a great experience all around. It allows me to learn and fix my mistakes for the future, and also provides me with a means of communication and close friends.”
Siena’s resident business fraternity, the Theta Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Pi (DSP), is first and foremost a professional fraternity, as stated in the purpose that newly initiated members take at the end of the annual fall and spring pledging cycles. Delta Sigma Pi’s President Maria Carzo speaks to what differentiates DSP from other college fraternities: “Unlike other fraternities (yes, I said fraternity- we welcome women and men alike), we are a business professional fraternity. We revolve around our three fundamental principles of fostering the study of business in universities, encouraging scholarship, and social activity. With this being said we host a variety of professional events, service events, and social events throughout the year. As President, I strive to find the best qualities in my brothers and help them develop those qualities so that once they graduate they will be able to understand what they would like to do.”
Siena’s Theta Upsilon chapter is currently made up of over forty members of the Siena College School of Business who exhibit traits such as leadership potential, professionalism, a strong work ethic, and academic drive. Kayla McNulty, a DSP member and Senior Vice President of the chapter, understands the commitment the fraternity requires and the wealth of social and professional benefits that come with being a part of the Theta Upsilon chapter. “Throughout my experiences in DSP, I have been exposed to various elements associated with the business world by planning numerous professional events, and social events, and collaborating with other business-dedicated organizations on campus. I have found through my encounters with the other brothers that these are serious people who care about their future and future careers in business. They joined DSP to get a leg up on the competition and learn the best practices without exception. During my time in DSP, I have made so many friends and memories that I will have for a lifetime.”
A new addition to Siena’s roster of clubs and organizations is the Financial Planning Club (FPC), an initiative by the Lynn M. Rondeau ‘75 Center for Private Wealth Management. The club was organized to help Siena students foster a deeper knowledge of careers in wealth management and financial planning through professional events that host industry experts from leading firms, as well as hands-on preparation for FINRA license exams such as the Securities Industry Essentials exam. As of October 2023, the Financial Planning Club has already hosted a variety of guest speakers from firms such as Merrill Lynch, Rockefeller Capital Management, Goldman Sachs Ayco Personal Financial Management, Key Bank, The DiBella Financial Group, and Atlas Private Wealth Management. Furthermore, dozens in the club have registered for the SIE preparation course that FPC provides.
President Mikayla Brunell describes the mission of FPC and the steps taken this year to put it into practice: “As part of the Lynn M. Rondeau ‘75 Center for Private Wealth Management, the Financial Planning Club’s mission is to give students the tools and opportunities to develop their professional skill set in the financial field, both academically and socially. Through our club, students can network with business leaders and make key connections in this highly competitive industry as we bring in guest speakers on a regular basis. In addition, our club allows students to participate in a financial education course and ultimately take the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam, which is crucial for prospective securities industry professionals and can help students stand out in the job market. As President, it is my goal to make students not only feel welcomed, but confident as they embark on their career in the financial services industry.”
The FPC’s faculty advisor, Dr. Proctor, is confident that although the club is new it will leave a lasting impact for Siena students. “Activities [of the FPC] include helping students prepare for careers in the financial planning and wealth management field. We’ve had speakers from the Career Center and alums in the financial planning field talk about how to prepare for internships and careers. Club members can study for the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam, which gives them a leg up for internships and careers. The FPC also has financial literacy as one of our missions, and we have presentations on such topics as managing your student loans, establishing your credit, and starting your 401k plan.”
Siena College’s chapter of the Financial Management Association (FMA), provides students interested in banking, investments, and finance opportunities to put these into practice via engaging discussions at club meetings and activities such as the annual Stock Market Simulation game. The FMA President Sean Neeson says: “The Financial Management Association is a national association that has a chapter based at Siena. The goals of the FMA are to educate its members about different fields of finance, as well as provide employment and networking opportunities in the finance field. Students from any major in the school of business are welcome and encouraged to join to explore a new area of business if they are interested.”
Dr. Proctor, who also serves as a faculty advisor for the FMA, highlights the benefits members glean from the FMA’s meetings: “The Financial Management Association helps students learn about all types of finance careers by bringing in speakers from different types of career fields in finance: investments, banking, financial planning, and corporate finance. We also have other activities such as a stock market trading game, discussions of finance-related issues in the news, and financial literacy presentations, to help students learn how to manage their finances in the real world.” Dr. Proctor feels that having two finance clubs with different concentrations is incredibly beneficial for all School of Business Students: “Many students are members of both clubs, and many of our events are jointly sponsored by both clubs, which l think is fantastic!”
For students interested in Marketing, the Siena College Chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) aims to prepare and motivate students for success in the Marketing field. Every semester, AMA holds seminars and workshops, which include topics such as graphic design, professional advice panels, and refining networking skills. At the club meetings that the AMA holds, members will also have valuable opportunities for networking in the marketing field. Madison Kenney, the AMA president, says: “The Siena College AMA is a collegiate national affiliate of the American Marketing Association. On campus, students are welcome to join the club, where we actively work to enhance our skills in marketing, business development, and professionalism. The AMA aims to provide Siena School of Business students with the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation and learn more about the marketing industry outside of the classroom environment. Students are also encouraged to pursue an official AMA student membership for $29 annually which offers additional benefits such as the chance to build strong relationships with local professionals from the New York Capital Region, or earn extra marketing credentials to set students apart from the competition.”
The AMA’s faculty advisor Dr. Preiksaitis says of the Siena AMA chapter: “The Siena AMA is a great way for students who plan to have a career in a marketing-related field to build their professional network. Being aligned with the National American Marketing Association allows the group to network with the local marketing community; several of our student members have gained internships and job opportunities through the connections they made as AMA members!”
Regardless of the clubs and societies that Siena School of Business students join, there are so many ways to navigate one’s chosen career path with the vast resources provided by these organizations.
A special thank you to all of the students and faculty advisors who generously provided their perspectives for this article.