2023 Best & Brightest Business Major: Abigail Sneddon, Binghamton University

Abigail Sneddon

Binghamton University School of Management

“I am always looking for a good book, movie or stock recommendation.”

Fun fact about yourself: I know the first forty-six digits of pi, but I am working on learning more.

Hometown: Sayville, New York

High School: Sayville High School

Major: Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance

Minors: Mathematical Sciences and Spanish Language

Favorite Business Course: ESG Investing in Public Markets

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

Leadership Positions:

  • Binghamton University Investment Fund Senior Board of Directors Member (Former Sector Head – Industrials, Fall 2021-Present)
  • PwC Scholars Internal Vice President (Fall 2021-Spring 2022)
  • School of Management Undergraduate Student Career Assistant (Fall 2021-Spring 2022)
  • Finance Society Markets Bootcamp Instructor (Spring 2022)
  • Corporate Finance Teaching Assistant (Fall 2021)
  • Management 111 Mentor Program Coordinator (Fall 2021-Spring 2022)
  • PwC Scholars Social Vice President (Fall 2020-Spring 2021)

Mentorship Positions:

  • Women in Finance Mentor (Fall 2021-Present)
  • MGMT 111 Mentor (Fall 2021-Present)
  • Dean’s Mentoring Program Mentor (Spring 2022, Spring 2023)

Awards:

  • Dean’s List (All Eligible Semesters)
  • National Merit Scholar (Fall 2019-Present)
  • Finance Society Mergers and Acquisitions Case Competition – 1st Place Winner (Fall 2020)
  • Binghamton Investment Fund Junior Analyst Case Competition – 2nd Place Finalist (Fall 2020)
  • Mazda J-Core Case Competition – Finalist (Fall 2020)
  • Finance Society Equity Research Case Competition – 2nd Place Finalist (Spring 2020)
  • Dean’s Case Competition – 1st Place Winner (Fall 2019)
  • Management Consulting Group TechX Case Competition – Finalist (Fall 2019)

Where have you interned during your college career?

  • Guggenheim Securities, New York, Investment Banking Summer Analyst (Generalist) – Summer 2022
  • Wolfe Research, New York (Hybrid), Equity Research Summer Analyst (Utilities) – Summer 2021
  • Jefferies, , Houston (Remote), Equity Research Spring Analyst (Maritime Shipping) – Spring 2021
  • L3 Harris, Long Island (Remote), Finance Intern – Summer 2020

Where will you be working after graduation? I will be working at Guggenheim Securities as an Investment Banking Analyst.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? I have learned to consider the implications of business decisions and being aware of their externalities. This was an overarching lesson in many of my classes, but particularly in my Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Investing in Public Markets course. We studied various models of ESG Investing, from passive to active, and learned to consider all the various stakeholders. Each decision I make, both as an investor or as a businessperson, affects the greater world.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? My best advice to those majoring in a business-related field is, first and foremost, you need to know yourself. You need to know who you are, what you care about, and what your strengths are. Once you know this, you can figure out how you, as an individual, fit into a group dynamic and what you can offer to that group. This is important because much of business is not about your individual effort but about what you contribute to your team.

I would follow that advice with urging students to take advantage of as many varied opportunities as possible, such as doing a variety of case competitions, joining clubs, having internships, and networking. It is through participation in such opportunities you can learn both about yourself and how you fit into a group. Business is an exceptionally broad and ever­ expanding field, so spending time trying everything and figuring out what exactly you want to do is very worthwhile.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? I previously thought that business, once learned, was relatively static. I have since learn ed how rapidly the business environment shifts. This is due to macroenvironment changes and innovation. Since I was a freshman, the corporate world has become significantly different. A large portion of this is due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to a work-from-home or hybrid environment. However, other notable changes have also occurred. There have been many micro trends within the past three years resulting from new technologies like machine learning or new values, like a focus on sustainability. Business individuals must not only react to these shifts, but also initiate them as well through innovation. I think this is the most exciting and dynamic part of business – how one technology or one idea can so quickly shift the business world for a few weeks, months or even years. The best businesses must be agile.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? For the first two years of my college career, in many ways, I was simply following the traditional path of many undergraduate students. I was learning the skills required to be a successful businessperson, but I was not considering how or why I was doing what I was doing. I did not spend enough time reflecting on what I wanted long term, nor was I open-minded when considering career options. Within finance, due to the nature of recruiting, it is easy to become very focused on specific career goals quickly – and I believe that I did this. I wish I had been more thoughtful in deciding. Fortunately, I ended up on a career path exactly where I want to be, but I think that is mostly due to luck and happenstance rather than my conscious decision making.

Which academic, extracurricular, or personal achievement are you most proud of? I think that the academic achievement that I am most proud of is receiving an A- in my most recent math class Complex Variables (Math 375), and my subsequent growth in confidence. I am a math minor not because I love math, but because much of this course dealt with imaginary numbers. I struggled visualizing the material and the class was the greatest academic challenge I have faced. From the very first day, I knew that it was going to be difficult. Almost everyone else was a math major, and at points it seemed like they all spoke a language I had never learned. At first, I was rather intimidated and incredibly nervous. However, as the semester progressed, I began to realize that I was capable of learning this new language. While I did not speak it fluently, I learned how to be okay with that. This was a new mindset for me, and I have been applying it ever since. That’s because I have continuously been in unfamiliar situations, like my summer internship and studying abroad, that have forced me to adapt. I am so grateful that I took the course because it taught me an invaluable lesson, and I am proud of my academic and personal growth.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate that I most admire is Hannah Kozlenko. Hannah has a commitment to success unlike anyone I have ever met. Moreover, Hannah has a clear view of her goals – something I would argue is notable and rare among college students – and work s endlessly to achieve them. When I first met Hannah, she had just transferred into the School of Management, and was navigating a new major and a new field. I watched as she quickly became an incredible force within the finance organizations at Binghamton, growing and improving them. Hannah teaches younger students how to be as successful in finance, both in their understanding of concepts and in their careers. I have endless respect for her focus and constant drive, and I am incredibly grateful to be able to call Hannah a friend.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would most like to thank my mom for my success. My mom, a high school English teacher, instilled a love of learning in me and has continuously demonstrated to me the values of kindness, empathy, and hard work. Growing up, my mom always simply advised me to do the best I can. The focus of work should not be an external measure, but an internal one – a commitment to one’s self and one’s work. As a student, it is very easy to get wrapped up in grades (and I have been guilty of this on occasion), but my mom continuously told me to focus on the learning and the grades will follow. Putting the emphasis on the process of learning and improving rather than the results has formed the way I approach life and is what I consider to be the primary reason for my success. With this mindset, everything, from classes to leadership positions and jobs, is an exciting learning opportunity. I am so grateful for my mom and her dedication to teaching and learning.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? It sounds idealistic, but I have always believed that finance can change the world for the better and so I want to work in jobs that have a positive impact on the world. As such, two items on my professional bucket list are to work for a governmental organization making economic policy and to work for an activist fund.

I have always been extremely interested in macroeconomic policy, especially on a global scale. Growing up in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and experiencing the current economic volatility has made me more aware of the direct impact economic policy has on the daily lives of the average American. I think working within economic policy sometime in my career would be incredibly challenging and rewarding.

I also want to work as an activist investor. In my ESG Investing course, we learned about Engine No. 1, a small activist hedge fund that leveraged three new directors onto ExxonMobil’s board in 2021 with the goal to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Activist investing requires careful planning and strategy, but when successful, can yield an incredible power in pushing companies toward social and environmental progress. I would love to be a part of that.

What are your hobbies? On my free time, I love to read, run (I just started training for a half marathon), and cook.

What made Abigail such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?
“The School of Management Career Services Office has had the pleasure of overseeing Abigail during her time as a Career Assistant, where she did an excellent job coaching and mentoring students on various professional development topics, including resume writing, mock interviews, and internship search advice. During this time, I developed a great deal of respect for Abigail’s work ethic, professionalism, and true passion for helping other students succeed. Abigail’s commitment to making a difference in the School of Management did not stop there. During her time as Internal Vice President for the PwC Scholars Program, Abigail took the initiative to assist with the School of Management’s Intro Decision Making in Management class, a required course for all incoming freshmen and transfer students. Abigail played an integral role in the class by overseeing class mentors, managing the grading process for various assignments, and responding to student questions and concerns. Abigail is truly a special person who has proven to be a motivated, hardworking, and dependable student leader. I have been extremely impressed with her tireless effort and dedication to making a positive impact on the School of Management and Binghamton University as a whole.”

Matthew Fedorchak
Student & Employer Relations Coordinator
School of Management Career Services Binghamton University

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