In his sharp black suit, Zachary Baker was ready to begin his financial services internship on the best possible note. The internship and the suit both came by way of SUNY Broome’s Applied Learning and Career Center, which provides a range of services to students, alumni and community members alike.

Zachary first came to SUNY Broome in 2011, first trying programs in Computer Security and Forensics, then Web Development. He returned to school in 2016 with a new focus – Business Administration – and found his stride.

“The computer stuff was monotonous; there was no interaction with people, just writing up code. Business is speaking to people,” he explained.

Learn about Business Administration at SUNY Broome.

After completing his associate degree, he decided to stay on as a Financial Services major to raise his grade point average and improve his chances for transfer to Binghamton University. He hopes to transfer by next spring and major in economics at BU, eventually landing a career in management.

Learn about Financial Services at SUNY Broome.

This semester, he signed up for a practicum in financial risk and management that required an internship. Professor Gian Roma suggested the ALCC, and Zachary promptly made an appointment with Career Coach Jeanie Kumpon.

The ALCC helped him spruce up his resume and cover letter, and introduced him to Purple Briefcase, which gives users free access to career-related resources, job and internship opportunities, and more. While the first internship Zachary applied for didn’t prove fruitful, he decided to contact a Binghamton financial firm – which responded within 90 minutes.

He landed an interview, which led him to the ALCC’s newest service: the Career Closet, which provides free professional clothing to eligible students. Zachary picked out two pairs of pants, a jacket, a tie and a shirt.

“All of it looked really high quality,” he said of the Career Closet’s inventory. “I was super-excited about the stuff I got.”

Zachary feels ready to start his new internship, which will hopefully lay the groundwork for future experiences in the financial industry. He appreciates the role that the ALCC and its staff members played in helping him take that next step.

“I never tried to get an internship or a job through the school before. It’s an extremely valuable service, and it was all pretty easy,” he said.

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