Poole Fall 2019 Graduates Prepared to Take Analytical, Entrepreneurial Skills Into Workforce

By Carson Powell and Justin Goldberg

The Fall 2019 Poole College of Management Commencement ceremony will celebrate the graduation of 489 students Dec. 19 at PNC Arena from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., immediately following the NC State University fall commencement ceremony. 

Of the 489 graduates, nine will receive doctoral degrees, 146 master’s degrees and 334 bachelor’s degrees. The Bachelor of Science in accounting degree will graduate 60 students while the B.S. in business administration will graduate 241.

Within the (B.S.) accounting major, 28 (47 percent) are in the financial analysis concentration, two in government and nonprofit, 11 in information systems, five in internal auditing, six in managerial and eight with no concentration. Business administration has 64 (27 percent) in marketing, 61 in finance, 47 in operations and supply chain management, 44 in information technology, 14 in human resources and 11 in entrepreneurship. 

“Our mission at Poole College is to engage with our industry and academic partners to create a college that fosters learning for our students and supports scholarship and service among our faculty,” Stephen P. Zelnak Jr. Dean Frank Buckless said. “We recognize the importance of equipping graduates with an entrepreneurial mindset and analytical problem-solving capabilities so they can make a positive difference in our world.” 

Read about some of our graduates:

Jordan Feeney, Bachelor of Arts in economics and Bachelor of Science in business administration, undergraduate programs

Jordan Feeney will be graduating from the Poole College of Management with bachelor’s degrees in economics and business administration, as well as a minor in Spanish. Feeney was recently announced as the student commencement speaker for the Fall 2019 Poole College Commencement and is honored to represent the Wolfpack at graduation. During her time at Poole, Feeney studied abroad in the United Kingdom and Italy and completed the Global Perspectives Certificate. She also held internships at WilmerHale and Holland & Hart. After graduation, Feeney will continue to live and Raleigh as an analyst for Credit Suisse and plans on advancing further in the investment banking field.  

Eva Welsh, Master of Business Administration, Jenkins MBA program

Eva Welsh joined Poole College of Management after completing her Bachelor of Science degree in textile engineering at NC State. Welsh remembers her time in Poole as “exceptional” and enjoyed networking events, practicum courses and the flexibility her program offered. Her most memorable classroom experiences were in MBA 555, the product design and development practicum course in the Innovation Lab, and in her study abroad courses in Germany and France. Currently, Welsh works as the North American market manager for Freudenberg Performance Materials, a global textile manufacturer, where she will continue to work with Fortune 500 companies on global product launches after graduation.

Elizabeth Speer, Master of Management in global luxury, GLAM program

Elizabeth Speer describes her experience at Poole College as “challenging, inspiring and insightful,” and it allowed her to push the boundaries of luxury-industry knowledge. Speer interned with Louis Vuitton this summer and fall in New York City, where she explored her interests in luxury-consumer buying behaviors and the experimental marketing experiences trend. Her favorite course at Poole was luxury marketing strategy, taught by Cara Fratto, a GLAM industry advisory board member. Speer enjoyed Fratto’s immersive lectures and open discussion on current luxury topics. After graduation, Speer plans to stay in New York City to pursue a career in the buying and merchandising field.

Thomas Swankie, Master of Accounting, Jenkins MAC program

Thomas Swankie received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from NC State before continuing his academic career in the Jenkins MAC program. Swankie currently balances his graduate classes with his role as an enterprise resource planning software consultant at Providence Consulting Group (PCG). He believes experiencing a fast-paced and high-pressure environment in the MAC program has prepared him for the challenges he faces daily in his job. During his time at Poole, Swankie held accounting internships at the NC State Investment Fund, and most enjoyed the enterprise resource planning systems course, taught by Marianne Bradford. Swankie plans to utilize his newfound skills to become an expert in his field and, eventually, a project manager or solution architect. 

Tao Tao, Master of Accounting, Jenkins MAC program

Tao Tao has an MBA from Poole College in financial management and a bachelor’s degree in economic science from Beijing Normal University. Being a student in Jenkins MAC program at Poole College has allowed her to develop skills in financial analysis, taxation, data analytics and auditing. Tao also interned at a local accounting firm, where she prepared financial reports for hedge funds and engaged in audit planning for 2020. Her favorite course while in the MAC program was ACC 540, taught by Professor Scott Showalter. The course taught her to have a questioning mind, understand the materials used in classes and ask questions. After graduation, Tao plans to pursue a career in investing. 

Huachen Li, Doctor of Philosophy in economics, economics graduate program

Hauchen Li has been with the Poole College of Management for the past five years as he completed his Doctor of Philosophy in economics. Li is very appreciative of the faculty for their willingness to go above and beyond in offering constructive feedback that allowed him to progress each semester. His most memorable course was ECG 785, monetary economics empirical and computational methods, taught by James Nason, distinguished professor of economics. As a current faculty member in Kenyon College’s Department of Economics, Li believes his years at Poole shaped him into the economist, researcher and teacher he is today.