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For students enrolled in any of the 70-plus majors at ��Ӱֱ�� State, the hands-on learning and real-world experiences they receive help give them a competitive edge when it comes time to enter the workforce. 

The college’s reputation for producing job-ready candidates continues to spread, and many employers are finding graduates from the Business Department eager and ready to contribute to their teams. 

After hiring graduates with a degree in business administration, Trish Ryall with The Partners Insurance & Financial Services concluded that her company “found them to be very well prepared, professional, and ready to work.” 

When evaluating sport management graduates who joined his team, Rob Gilchrist, CEO of Hornell YMCA said, “They come to us prepared and passionate about serving our community.” 

Level Financial Advisors out of Amherst, also recently welcomed two members of the ��Ӱֱ�� State family to its ranks, hiring former professor Winfred Jacob as a senior financial advisor, and soon-to-be December graduate Alanna Conciardo as a financial planning associate. 

Conciardo, a financial planning major from Buffalo, is the third ��Ӱֱ�� State student to be hired at Level Financial Advisors, joining 2007 financial planning grads Steven Elwell, originally from Arkport, and Paul Coleman, an Almond native. She recently completed a 14-week internship at Level as part of the requirements to obtain her degree. 

According to Danielle Green, chair of the Business Department at ��Ӱֱ�� State, the college’s financial planning program is one of four majors within the department that requires an internship experience to graduate. All of the department’s programs, however, expose students to the hands-on experience employers look for, through coursework, internships, and more. 

“We consistently hear that our students are entering the workforce prepared and armed with the skills necessary to be successful,” Green said. “Oftentimes, our students are hired directly out of their internships for full-time positions. We hear that our students are quick learners, and willing to take on new challenges as they arise.” 

In addition to their classes and internships, business students at ��Ӱֱ�� State are receiving valuable experiences through the college’s chapter of the Business Professionals of America, as well as educational field trips. Recently, business students attended the Financial Planning Association’s (FPA) Annual Conference in Baltimore, where they were able to expand their knowledge and network with industry professionals, and also received expert advice on retirement planning at an FPA event in Rochester. 

All of these experiences and opportunities are paying off, literally, for both the students and their employers. Michael Heburn, chief operating officer at Level Financial Advisors, said as a growing advisory firm, Level is frequently on the lookout for great new talent to add to their workforce, and that ��Ӱֱ�� State is the first place they begin their search. 

“Two of our CFP® professionals came from the ��Ӱֱ�� State financial planning program, including one of our partners,” he said, referring to Elwell and Coleman. “Most recently, we added Alanna Conciardo and we couldn’t be more pleased with her results as an intern. What I find in all of these individuals is a level of preparedness and capability that is truly unique. The college produces high-quality, confident professionals who are ready to contribute from the minute they join the workforce."