Julie Snitzer

Villanova School of Business

“Enthusiastic, Constantly Curious, & Adventure Junkie. Happiest when I am trying or learning something new.”

Fun fact about yourself: I have been bungee dropping off the highest bungee bridge in the world in South Africa.

Hometown: Arlington Heights, IL

High School: The Willows Academy

Major: Marketing

Minor: Finance

Favorite Business Course: Buyer Behavior

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• Villanova Honors Program
• Villanova School of Business Marketing and Communication department, Student Assistant
• 1st place in Comcast XFINITY Marketing team competition during the semester-long course
• Dean’s List
• Villanova School of Business (VSB) Ambassadors, Member
• Pennsylvania Special Olympics, Local Program Host
• Semester Study Abroad – Cape Town, South Africa
• Summer Study Abroad – London, England
• IES Abroad Ambassador
• Villanova Community Outreach
• Volunteer Income Tax Associate (VITA)
• Drexel LeBow Diversity and Inclusion Case Competition
• Member of Kappa Delta Sorority
• Honors Peer Mentor
• Women In Business
• Villanova Emerging Leaders Institute

Where have you interned during your college career?

• Newell Brands: Appliance & Cookware Division, Commercial Finance Intern, Boca Raton, FL
• Villanova School of Business Marketing & Communications: Student Assistant, Villanova, PA
• Air Line Pilots Association, International: United Pilots Intern, Rosemont, IL
• Grove Communication: Marketing & PR Intern, London, England

Where will you be working after graduation? Mercer: Career Consulting Analyst

What did you enjoy most about your business school? The Villanova School of Business offers personal attention from professors whom you would normally only expect to find at a small liberal arts school. It is not uncommon to see an accounting professor walk out of the business school at 11:00 p.m. after spending hours helping students prepare for their exam the next day, or to hear professors asking students how an interview went when walking by the atrium. Professors have helped me with internship decisions, provided me with alumni contacts, and given me unique perspectives rooted in their many years of industry experience. This personal attention has been invaluable for me in helping me learn and in guiding me towards a career path.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Be curious, lean in, and ask questions. Most important, do not be afraid to ask for help. Learning to ask different people for advice – from classmates to professors to alumni and even employers – I was amazed to find how many people want to help and offer their advice. Leaning into the Villanova network has exposed me to what is possible with a business degree and has helped me uncover my interests.

The more people you talk to the better idea you have of what you may want to do when you graduate!

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Majoring in business is a great foundation! I believe the best way to approach a business education is by attempting to pursue a business education and a liberal arts education. Apart from the core business courses, take humanities and social science courses. Taking English classes and learning to express myself in writing has made me a more thoughtful person. Making connections from the neuroscience and psychology we discuss in my Violence and Justice class to the heuristics we discuss in my business buyer behavior class is a fun mental exercise. Also, read the Wall Street Journal every day!

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? Accounting and analytics courses are fun! I thought these two core course requirements would be boring and monotonously tedious. However, to my surprise, both were intellectually stimulating and useful. Managerial accounting was necessary for me to gain a better grasp on the costs of an organization and how businesses operate as a whole. My analytics courses proved to be much more creative than I expected, requiring out-of-box thinking to arrive at interesting insights from the data. I learned that both these disciplines are necessary for a strong understanding of business.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? During these past four years, I have stretched myself. I have tried to get business experience in a variety of industries, functions, and locations. From interning in Boca Raton, Florida to studying abroad in London, England and Cape Town, South Africa, I have had the opportunity to meet many different people and learn in many different places. My internship experiences have varied from interning at a small PR & Marketing boutique firm to interning in a commercial finance role for a Fortune 500 consumer packaged goods company – and even interning for a union! These experiences have given me a holistic understanding of business and broadened my way of thinking.

Which classmate do you most admire?  Sitting next to Elizabeth Pianucci in my very first class freshman year, I was blown away with how organized and prepared she was for the first day. Four years later, I am still impressed by her and am lucky enough to call her one of my best friends. She is my go-to person for thought-provoking conversation, new ideas, and discussions on the interesting things I just learned in class. I always leave Elizabeth feeling a bit more motivated and having learned something new.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would like to thank my dad. Growing up, watching my father love his career so much instilled in me a passion for learning and a determination to find a career I love. He has never pushed me to follow the conventional route but rather reassured me that as long as I like what I am doing, I will be successful.

In high school, when I was excited about and took the initiative to start a jewelry business, he encouraged me to go all-in. He saw my excitement and helped me capitalize on it. When I told him I wanted to sell my bracelets online, he helped me by taking professional photographs of my jewelry and brainstorming business ideas with me.

His curiosity, love for travel, and outside-of-the-box thinking has shaped how I view the world, and I am glad to share many of his same passions.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Spend a year or two working abroad.
2. Start a non-profit that teaches financial literacy, teaching people to invest their earnings wisely.
3. Become yoga certified – teach yoga on the side.

What are your hobbies? My hobbies include skiing, traveling, running, and watching 80s comedy movies. I also love to learn and read about behavioral economics and watch John Mulaney or Trevor Noah stand-up comedy.

What made Julie such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2020?

“Julie is an outstanding member of the Class of 2020. I’ve known Julie for four years, and believe she is a proven leader, committed to service, global learning, and Villanova University.

Julie has worked in the VSB Communication & Marketing office for the past four years, and I would hire her again without hesitation. During the time we’ve worked together, she has taken on roles and work of increasing responsibility and complexity. I trust Julie with any assignment – as a senior she is running our official VSB social media accounts, with the responsibility to positively impact and expand our brand.

I look for employees with outstanding writing skills, good organization skills, who are proactive and can exercise good judgment. Julie embodies all of these qualities. I met Julie when she was a freshman, and she impressed me with her maturity, her positive attitude and willingness to learn. She consistently volunteers for assignments outside her normal work hours. Whenever we need an extra hand, she will offer to help.

Julie was also a star performer and consistent contributor in my Corporate Responsibility & Regulation class, and I would have loved to teach her again. She was always prepared for class and had thoughtful insights into the material. She excelled in her written and oral presentation assignments on ethics and was a terrific presenter arguing a case during a mock trial. Her argument was well-researched, based on class material and outside sources, well-reasoned and persuasive.

Julie is highly motivated, and one of the things I most appreciate about her is that she actively seeks opportunities to study and learn in different countries and cultures. She’s studied in England and South Africa over the past couple of years.

Julie enhances the Villanova community with her presence. She lives the Augustian ideals of Veritas, Unitas, and Caritas every day. She is a pleasure to know, and I’m glad to have crossed paths with her at Villanova.”

Cathy J. Toner, JD
Assistant Dean

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