Students Expand Networks in New York City

Members of the St. John Fisher University Investment Club and Cardinal Courier had the chance to travel to New York City over the recent spring break. Students, faculty, and staff from both organizations attended professional development events and conferences and were able to network with industry peers and long-time professionals.

Students with the Investment Club visited the NASDAQ MarketSite headquarters and experienced the live closing bell ceremony. Students also met with several industry professionals, and saw firsthand the workspace of one of the finance and economics industry’s cutting-edge companies.

Over the course of the trip, students also received training and education from a certified Bloomberg financial professional, who educated the club on effective use of the Bloomberg Terminal.

“This was a meaningful experience as it allowed me to gain a comprehensive understanding of this incredibly powerful software from a certified expert, and better understand how to effectively access and analyze complex financial data with just a few simple clicks,” said Henry Huynh ’23.

Cardinal Courier staff traveled to the Big Apple to attend the College Media Association (CMA) Spring National College Media Convention, which ran from March 8 through March 11. The bi-annual convention is held for the purpose of educating both students and their faculty advisors through a series of discussions, events, and sessions designed to enhance collegiate student-run publications nation-wide.

Class of 2018 graduate and Courier advisor Khari Demos spoke to the administrative benefits of the convention. “As a first-year advisor, I think I really benefited hearing from veterans in terms of how to create a bridge between my students and administration, as well as how to best utilize the wealth of resources made available by the CMA.”

Courier editor Erin Dickinson echoed the value of the resources made available at the CMA convention. “There was a table at the conference where student media groups were welcome to leave their most recent work (magazines, newspapers, etc.) for others to peruse and take ideas from,” she said. “I spent about an hour looking through these and collecting ideas that I could bring back to the Courier; it was really inspiring to see how much potential there is in college media, and it inspired me to take another look at our website layout and start thinking about how we can improve the design to better serve our readers.”

Dickinson mentioned the variety of professional development opportunities available at the conference, with students able to refine their skills in areas ranging from presentation skills to the job search. Many of these sessions included the opportunity to network with peers and professionals alike. “Networking is so important in developing a successful career, and I was  grateful for the opportunity to attend this conference and expand my network even further. I came back to campus refreshed and inspired with a greater understanding of what it really takes to become a journalist.”

This article was written by Tyler Cole ’23, a cybersecurity major and PR Writing Intern in the Office of Marketing and Communications.