Students in Advanced Accounting Course Get an Inside Look at Investment Management with Field Trip to Federated Hermes

"My main takeaway from the trip to Federated Hermes was experiencing what it's like to be in a real-world, workplace environment with accounting professionals and taking in everything they had to say about their work, career paths and how they got to where they are. I enjoyed getting out of the classroom for a day and seeing how a large investment management company runs and how they make their decisions."

Dante Gianfrancesco '24, accounting major

A distinctive advantage of Point Park University's Rowland School of Business is its proximity to Downtown Pittsburgh's business district, populated by successful companies and organizations that are eager to support their talent pipelines.

Being immersed in this real-world environment is particularly advantageous for students majoring in accounting and economics and finance, as opportunities abound to tour, shadow and intern with potential employers, and faculty like Professor Jayne Olshanski leverage their professional contacts to connect students with networking and experiential learning opportunities.

Most recently, students in Professor Olshanski's Advanced Accounting course enjoyed a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to work at Federated Hermes, an investment management firm just a short walk from campus. Students met with William Friday, vice president of finance, and Joseph Machi, director of alliances, to learn about the firm's mergers and acquisitions, including its 2018 acquisition of London-based Hermes that led to the Federated Hermes renaming. Friday and Machi also shared insights from their career paths and emphasized the importance of seeking supportive mentors in the industry.

In the Q&A below, hear from accounting major, economics minor and 4+1 MBA student Dante Gianfrancesco about his key takeaways from the experience and how Point Park has helped him become career-ready.

Dante Gianfrancesco '24

Hometown: Burgettstown, Pa.
High School: Burgettstown High School
LinkedIn

What did you gain from the trip to Federated Hermes?

My main takeaway from the trip to Federated Hermes was experiencing what it's like to be in a real-world, workplace environment with accounting professionals and taking in everything they had to say about their work, career paths and how they got to where they are. I enjoyed getting out of the classroom for a day and seeing how a large investment management company runs and how they make their decisions.

How did it connect to what you’ve been learning in Advanced Accounting?

I connected a lot of what we are doing in class to what was being said during the Federated Hermes presentation. We learned a lot about mergers and acquisitions this semester, and their presentation showed how that aligns with M&A deal-making and processes in the real world.

Describe the impact Point Park’s downtown location has had on your overall college experience.

Point Park's Downtown Pittsburgh location has had a huge impact on my college experience. Just in the last few months, I have had the opportunity to shadow several working professionals with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Highmark Stadium. Our visit to Federated Hermes is another example of how beneficial our campus location is for students in the Rowland School of Business.

How has Point Park prepared you to enter your chosen field?

Point Park has prepared me to enter the accounting field through my involvement with the University's Student Accounting Association. We frequently have guest speakers from different companies, many of them Point Park alumni, to come in and talk about their first-hand experiences in the industry. It is so helpful to hear about what they do and how they do it, as well as network with people from a variety of firms as I prepare for graduation.

Why would you recommend Point Park to a prospective student?

I would recommend Point Park to a prospective student because of the downtown location and small class sizes. Both aspects have been very beneficial to me in my time here. It is fulfilling to be able to develop relationships with my professors. The one-on-one attention we're able to get from the faculty goes a long way in the classroom, as well as in the field. Point Park professors are committed to student success.

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