Alumni Profiles

Associate Producer and Curator at THE OFFICE performing arts + film

The Arts Administration program at Baruch College has been extremely valuable for my professional career. The program provided me with an opportunity to meet other incredible art professionals and passionate professors. It also allowed me to have a better understanding of how the art and entertainment worlds function in New York City and around the world. Additionally, I was able to learn that art can be more than entertainment – that it can be used as a catalyst for change which can create a positive and long-lasting impact in society.

Throughout my time as a student, I was able to grow professionally and put into practice some of the concepts that I was learning in my classes. During my first year, I was given the opportunity to work as the Marketing and Programming Fellow at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. This fellowship was incredibly rewarding and allowed me to gain valuable experience in the arts. Currently, I am the Associate Producer and Curator at THE OFFICE performing arts + film, an independent performing arts and film curator and production company based in New York and London. At THE OFFICE, we work on creating ongoing partnerships with festivals, venues, artists, and institutions around the world to create cultural programming that is unique and mission specific. I learned about this position through the job listings posted from Weissman Graduate Career Services – who consistently notified us of many different opportunities.

Overall, the Arts Administration program was what I needed in order to fully immerse myself in the arts sector, meet colleagues and mentors that were passionate about culture, and learn of the impact and importance that the arts has around the world.

Mental Health Counselor-LP, Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center

The small cohort is what initially drew me to the Mental Health Counseling program at Baruch College. The program’s dedication to ensure that each student felt seen and heard was extremely important to me because I have always been used to small class sizes. My time at Baruch College was extremely challenging, yet fulfilling. I learned so many valuable lessons as a student that I’m now able to take and use in my practice as a therapist. I learned how to be self-sufficient and self-reliable. I also became one of the leaders of the MHC graduate student mentoring program, which has helped me create a network of support for other students who were navigating their first year of graduate school. In addition, I was able to gain lifelong friends and colleagues; something that is priceless and precious.

This program allowed me the opportunity to build a network of support with other therapists who work with various organizations. During my first year, I participated in a variety of zoom meetings aimed at helping me build my career portfolio. I also participated on numerous panels that helped students address mental health issues they were having, which focused my attention on the population I had a deep interest in working with.

I’m currently employed at the Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center, as a Mental Health Counselor-LP. I discovered that opportunity through my mentor and interned at the site for a year and half before being offered a full-time position. Accepting the position was an easy decision, as I wanted to work for an organization that served the black community and that provided important, essential resources. Being at Upper Manhattan has given me the opportunity to achieve that goal and collaborate with other agencies to provide the best care for my clients.

Analyst, HR Operations at NBCUniversal

The MS I/O Psychology program at Baruch College was an amazing program that helped me narrow down my career goals within the vast field of I/O Psychology. The program allows you to immerse yourself in various areas of the field, all while increasing your professional skills. The curriculum consists of six required courses as well as six elective courses that you can choose based on your own interests. I took advantage of these electives and enrolled in courses that varied from topics like Work-life Balance, Organizational Change, and Psychometrics. The professors would often reference their own professional experience which made the material applicable to the real world. Psychometrics and the group thesis courses solidified my interest in using Data Analysis to study human behavior in the workplace. After taking these courses, I knew that I desired a career in which I could collaborate with others and analyze data to identify trends occurring (ex. attrition, hiring, satisfaction).

I used LinkedIn to highlight my previous work experience, skills, and Master’s education at Baruch. I turned on alerts for any job postings that referenced People Analytics or Data Analysis skills, and then focused highly on those that sought after I/O Psychology graduate students in particular. Thanks to Weissman’s Graduate Career Services, I was able to edit my resume and cover letter in a way that highlighted my strengths and helped me stand out amongst other applicants. After three rounds of interviews (one of which was with a Baruch alumni), I was offered a full-time position with NBCUniversal. They were especially excited about my education in I/O Psychology as I would be bringing a new perspective to their People Analytics projects. I was happy to start my career at NBCU just two weeks before graduation as an Analyst, HR Operations with the People Analytics and Reporting team.

Manager HRBP, Regeneron

The MSIO program was an integral part of my HR career.   I was lucky in the fact that the program was flexible and allowed me to work full-time while completing courses after my normal work day.  The program also helped me learn from my peers with their real-life examples/applications of IO practices, while also learning from Professors and how they practiced IO in their field of work.

I was very big on ensuring the courses and curriculum of the program could be used in my line of work as I grew in my career.  When I first applied for the program, I worked in Benefits with the hopes of expanding into an HR Generalist role.  Through the course of the program I went from Benefits Analyst, to HR Generalist, to an Employee Relations Manager/HRBP at JetBlue.  I am now a Manager HRBP at Regeneron, which is a biotech company in Westchester NY.  The program really helped me think of HR from a non-tactical lens, and helped me see the holistic side such as OD/OE/DEI/TM/EE.

I initially learned about Regeneron in 2015 from my first HR role, where we used to provide temporary staff for the company.  That’s when I decided I wanted to eventually work for them.  I saw the Manager HRBP position on LinkedIn and applied.  I was able to interview, meet some great people, and learn more about what really excites me about the company, and that is they are truly driven by science.

Corporate Communications Sr. Analyst, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

The Corporate Communication program at Baruch’s Weissman School of Arts and Sciences was a wonderfully eye-opening experience that taught me that communication is deeper and more meaningful than writing words on paper. Going through this program during the pandemic was a unique and, at times, a difficult experience. But my incredibly knowledgeable professors and classmates got me through it. One of the highlights of this program was a summer class I took where I had open discussions with my classmates about various crises communicators have faced. In these conversations, I learned that as a communicator, we sometimes need to engage with our peers, reflect and internalize what’s going on, and then use that knowledge to strategize and take action.

The lessons I learned in this program have greatly helped me in my career. The courses I took have challenged me to think about various situations through the lens of different stakeholders. Today, as I draft a communication, I think about what’s left unsaid, how it might impact people differently, and how my targeted audience might respond or understand what is written.

I learned about my current position through Indeed and started working there about a year into the master’s program. I currently work at JPMorgan Chase & Co. as a Corporate Communication Sr. Analyst drafting emails and articles, managing events, and collaborating with my various stakeholders to strategize communications to engage our employees

Senior Consultant, Human Capital, Deloitte

I am extremely grateful for my experience in the M.S. IO Psychology program at Baruch College. Having held a career for nearly 10 years before starting the program, I was nervous that I would be the only person “going back to school” and pursuing the degree as a career change. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by my classmates’ (and professors’) unique paths to IO Psych, and I quickly felt a true belonging among them.

Through my coursework, I felt I received full exposure to the prospective job roles an I-O Psychologist could hold, from researcher and data analyst to executive coach and organizational consultant. I will never forget how I swore I would never understand statistics, yet I ended up taking (and enjoying!) electives in psychometrics and HR analytics. Along with my studies, Weissman Graduate Career Services was instrumental in guiding me on my journey to a new career, from helping me with my resume, to introducing me to prospective employers.

I virtually attended SIOP’s 2022 Annual Conference and registered separately for the conference’s Career Center. Through the Center’s job forum, I connected with a Deloitte recruiter who took an interest in my resume.

Employee and Organization Development Specialist, AriZona Beverages USA

I was always interested in I/O psychology – it was a field that intrigued me since the first time I heard of it, and the Master’s program at Baruch College helped me narrow the path I wanted to pursue within the field. Every course I took helped me design my career from Learning and development to Leadership and psychometrics. The program also helped me define what role I wanted to take at my current organization, because I understood the importance and capability that employees had within a company. My goal was to help employees develop skills, knowledge and capabilities to support their growth and create a positive professional experience.

I learned about an opening as an HR Coordinator at AriZona Beverages through connections on LinkedIn. I applied and got the job in October 2021, as my Baruch student group and I were starting to draft our thesis. In June, after completing the program, the Director of Human Resources believed in the potential of the work I wanted to introduce to the organization, and so I began my journey as an Employee and Organization Development Specialist. I really enjoy this field, and I am overjoyed that I decided to pursue my Master’s at Baruch. The program and the connections I made have helped me become who I am today.

Supervised Release Program Counselor, Center for Court Innovation

The Mental Health Counseling program at Baruch College was a time of immense personal and professional growth. Becoming a culturally competent counselor is a lifelong process, and Baruch was a great place to start this journey. The small cohort-style program allowed us to build friendships and a network of colleagues that will last a lifetime.

What I valued the most about the program and our professors was the space to process the collective trauma as we lived through the pandemic and all the challenges it brought.  Additionally, it was a space where we could all bring our concerns and questions from different internship placements and receive peer supervision, something that is deeply valuable to a beginning therapist. The professors challenged us, provided continuous support, and emphasized the importance of self-care to prevent burn out. I still rely on my colleagues and professors for support beyond graduation.

The program also promoted the development of our networking and career skills. I was able to obtain an internship at a leading victim services organization and gained clinical experience as a trauma-focused therapist, which has served as the bridge to several work opportunities as a new graduate.

I learned about my current position at CCI from connections gained at my internship site. When looking for job opportunities, it was important for me to find a job that would challenge me the most and help me grow as a compassionate mental health professional.  It was also important for me to be a part of the organization that was committed to social justice.

Associate, Membership and Special Events, Development, Jazz at Lincoln Center

The Arts Administration program at Baruch College provided a well-rounded, comprehensive, and engaging curriculum in all areas of arts administration. I was delighted to move out of my comfort zone of visual arts and learn about administration in the performing arts.  My colleagues were a diverse group from all over the world. We formed deep bonds as we struggled through the pandemic together and now support each other as we advance in our careers.

The impact of the program was life changing.  It deepened my knowledge of social justice and how to create an arts administrative practice that is artist-centered, equitable, and inclusive to all.  Because I was in a leadership role at an organization while attending graduate school, I was able to take the concepts we learned in class and apply them directly to the gallery where I was the Director.  This enabled me to learn by doing, which was incredibly effective in helping me to fully grasp the curriculum for the new ideas and practices I learned.

The networking events facilitated by Baruch were instrumental in helping me advance my career.  Through the ArtTable Career Roundtable, I met women leaders who were generous with their time and connections.  After several informational interviews, one of those leaders helped me land an internship with a large performing arts center.

I was recruited for my current position, at Jazz at Lincoln Center, through the VP of Development where I completed my consultancy.  As luck would have it, a position became available upon finishing my degree, and in the subject area of my consultancy (similar to a thesis in conjunction with an arts organization).  And, because I was at the top of her mind, the VP reached out immediately and inquired if I would be interested in the role. Of course, I said yes!

Senior Specialist of Communications & Public Affairs, The Walt Disney Company

I appreciated that the corporate communications master’s program had student success in mind all throughout the program, from the flexibility in class times allowing me to work full time during the day, to the small class sizes allowing for more intentional interaction with professors and classmates. Many of my professors also worked in the communications field, which made it that much more impactful – to learn from a real-word perspective, which helped strengthen the course material.

I worked in advertising for some years and was seeking a career pivot into the corporate communications field. After graduating with my master’s degree, I was able to make the switch very quickly. My thesis topic focused on corporate reputations, so I began researching several companies from the start of my project and was able to gain in-depth knowledge about what companies I wanted to work for by the time I was ready to graduate. This helped me to be strategic in where I applied and also helped me tremendously when interviewing.

I had been actively searching on the Disney careers page before graduating as I’ve always admired the company’s reputation. I was able to secure interviews and landed a corporate communication role as a Senior Specialist of Communications & Public Affairs upon graduation.