In Their Own Words: Alumni in Business

Stephanie Hu '11

Since graduation, I've been working for Putnam Investments in Boston doing equity investing. Even though I got my position through recruiting senior year, I applied to jobs in a range of industries and never really envisioned myself entering a career in finance. It has taken a few years but I've really grown to love it. At Putnam, I focus on healthcare companies and my sociology degree has been helpful in understanding the US healthcare system and the social challenges facing it- a perspective that not many other financiers may have. There certainly aren't many people with a sociology degree at my company, or even the industry, but in a business where its all about getting an edge, I really appreciate the uniqueness of my background.

Andrew Ching '10

At Brooklyn Boulders (BKB), a startup rock climbing operation in New York, Boston, and Chicago, we're working to reinvent the rock climbing, fitness, and community center industry. We're using our facilities as cultural palettes for the community to build upon, whether it's with events programming, co-working, climbing, fitness, arts, or socializing. We're constantly discussing trust, social cohesion, and community development. All the sociology work I did at Dartmouth is now coming to life at BKB. I couldn't be more stoked to have studied Sociology at Dartmouth.

Catherine Sweeting '10

After graduating in 2010, I started working as a headhunter, searching for senior level executives within communications and marketing. I then helped build a headhunting firm in NY, building their North American and South American networks. After a year and a half there, I decided it was time to go get an MBA to have a better business acumen. I know work for AB InBev as their Global MBA Program Manager, recruiting MBAs from top schools.

Sarah Herringer '08

I am just starting business school at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. I've always had a passion for food, and at Dartmouth I wrote my sociology honors thesis about how food companies were defining "organic." At Stanford, I am excited to continue exploring my interests in business and food with classes such as "The Role of Business in Sustainable Food Systems." After business school I am interested in pursing a strategy role at a food company.

Rosie Rodriguez '05

I am a second-year MBA student at New York University’s Stern School of Business, specializing in social innovation and impact. Since I am interested in a career at the intersection of business and society, I was granted a financial stipend of $10,000 through the Social Impact Internship Fund. The fund was created to support students who wish to complete a 10-week summer internship where they can use their business education to positively impact the broader world around them. I spent my summer in Rio de Janeiro with NAMI Rede Feminista de Arte Urbana, a Brazil-based NGO that uses urban art and graffiti to promote awareness about women’s issues.  I worked directly with the founder, Panmela Castro, on key projects to promote gender equality and develop a financial sustainability strategy.

Here are some links to blog posts about my summer internship:

https://sternsiiffellows.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/art-as-activism/

https://sternsiiffellows.wordpress.com/2013/07/21/empowering-women-economically-and-socially/

Stella Treas '05

My sociology major gave me a foundation for consulting in McKinsey, doing economic development work in Africa, learning at Harvard Business School, and playing a leadership role in a fast growing tech start up.  My time with Dartmouth's Sociology was characterized by learning how to ask tough questions, analytically evaluate options, and effectively communicate perspectives.  These lessons have been invaluable throughout my career.

Jason Ortiz '03

I currently work for Deutsche Bank in Singapore. I'm the Regional Chairperson for our LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) employee resource group in Asia-Pacific. I find that it's very "Socy" related. 



David Pereira '03

I am currently working for a Brazilian Bank (Bradesco) in NY.

Previously, I started a company that focused on Business Development between European Mulit Nationals (specifically Portugal and Germany) looking to enter South American markets (specifically Colombia). I noticed there were various cultural nuances which hindered both sides for conducting business and offered a solution by training executives, modifying presentations and materials.

Mike Henry '98

Sociology, and my race relations focus in particular, opened my eyes to the experiences of people with very different backgrounds from mine.

As a white guy who'd been raised in an upper middle class family and educated at private schools, I learned compassion and empathy that has made me a better manager and a better leader.  (I manage a team at Google that runs our partnerships with some of the world's largest global retailers.)

Bradley Jefferson '98

I worked for a Dartmouth-founded startup called Onyx Software for eight years and then got the itch to start my own company, Animoto, with two Dartmouth friends and we've been running it for the past eight years, me as CEO.

T. Kenji Sugahara '95

After graduating from Dartmouth my wife (D '96) and I moved out to Oregon where we both attended law school at the University of Oregon.  My original intent was to go in to prosecution but I was sidelined by a business opportunity.  I started a legal electronic filing company in 2000. However, I did pass the Bar and continue to hold my license. After a few years with the company, I decided to leave and ended up working in the fitness industry as a Program/IT Director for a chain of athletic clubs.  In 2007, I was offered an opportunity to take over the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association as the Executive Director.  Since then, the organization has become one of the largest regional bike racing organizations in the United States.

My sociology degree has greatly influenced my career, especially in my role as Executive Director where it has given me insight into how people interact within our social group and how they are influenced by external groups.  This has been valuable in the creation and design of programs to attract and retain members.  Furthermore, the courses I took at Dartmouth have given me an analytical framework where I can see the direct linkages between transportation policy, tourism and bicycle racing.  Based on this framework, I have become involved in the political process and participate in numerous state commissions.