Katrina Fett

Lehigh University College of Business

“Creative, adventurous, optimistic, authentic, unconventional.”

Fun fact about yourself: I used to have pink hair.

Hometown: Clifton, New Jersey

High School: Immaculate Heart Academy

Major:  Marketing and Economics

Minor: Political Science

Favorite Business Course: Social Media Marketing

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

Honors and Awards:

Geneen Scholarship (2022)

One of three students selected for the Geneen Scholarship, which is awarded based on academic achievement, leadership, demonstrated work ethic, and engagement with business ethics and corporate governance.

Nelson Leighton Bond Memorial Prize (2022)

One of eight students selected for Nelson Leighton Bond Memorial Prize, which is awarded on the basis of character, leadership, and scholastic achievement.

Department of Marketing Commendation Award for Outstanding Project/Paper (2022) — Social Media Marketing

Awarded for Social Media and Digital Marketing final project, in which my team created a comprehensive social media and traditional marketing campaign for Creminelli Fine Meats.

Department of Marketing Commendation Award for Outstanding Project/Paper (2022) –Marketing Research

Awarded for Marketing Research final project, “Understanding Business Students’ Motivations for Joining Career-Oriented Clubs”, in which my team designed and distributed a survey to a sample size of 50+ Lehigh University business students and analyzed the data collected using statistical methods in order to investigate their primary motivations for campus involvement.

Beta Gamma Sigma: Business Honor Society

Omicron Delta Epsilon: Economics Honor Society

Lambda Mu Sigma: Marketing Honor Society

Dean’s List

Extracurriculars:

Design Editor–The Brown and White (university newspaper)

• Integrate typography, graphic storytelling, and reader-centered design to create appealing layouts for bi-weekly print and web publications using Adobe InDesign, collaborating with a team of 15+ editors to deliver content to audience of over 7000.
• Recognized by the College Media Association as second place “Best College Media Outlet” for 2020-2021 year.

Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion–Alpha Phi

• Led APhi’s new DEI department during its first year of operation. Oversaw DEI education, including facilitating two interactive workshops and organizing three additional workshops with external groups, as well as internal DEI training for executive board.
• Directed outreach to campus and local community, including fundraising for local Black and woman-owned businesses, creating an updated, inclusive recruitment strategy, and advising the chapter’s social media strategy in relation to DEI.
• Recognized as “accredited with excellence” for DEI, the highest rating in Lehigh University’s annual sorority review process.

Technology, Research and Communication Fellow: Served as a peer tutor, assisting students with all stages of the writing process.

Where have you interned during your college career?

• Marketing and Design Intern at Ecomedes in San Francisco, California
• Chase Leadership Development Program Summer Analyst in UX Research at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in New York, New York

Where will you be working after graduation? Chase Leadership Development Program Analyst at J.P Morgan Chase & Co.

Who is your favorite business professor? Professor Judy McDonald is my favorite business professor. Not only is she extremely knowledgeable in the field of economics, but she is also incredibly kind and cares deeply about her students, and is so generous in offering help with coursework, career advice, and more!

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I gained from studying business is two-fold. First, I learned how critical communication is in business. In connection to that, developing a sense of self confidence, learning how to advocate for yourself, and being authentic to your identity are so important for being a strong communicator in every sense, which is at the core of business.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Pick a major that you’re genuinely interested in, and go into classes with the goal of learning as much as possible, not getting the best grade possible. I’ve noticed that some people cut corners in order to get the best grade in the most efficient way, but I think having intrinsic motivation and authentic curiosity is so important. I would also say not to worry if you don’t know what you want to do, and to try out new things (classes, extracurriculars, and especially jobs and internships) in order to find out. Finally, I would say to dedicate time to connecting with others and enjoying college experiences.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? Something that really surprised me was the broad, widely-applicable skill set I acquired by studying business. Going into college, I had thought that my career would be limited to only the specific major I chose. Now, as a graduate who’s had some unexpected and diverse internship and extracurricular experiences, I’ve realized that there are so many options for me.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I would get to know more of my classmates. Although I made a number of amazing friends at Lehigh, there are so many interesting people I haven’t met.

What business leader do you admire most? Kaaren Hanson, Chief Design Officer at J.P. Morgan Chase. I had the honor of working in her organization during my last internship, and I admire how she has expanded the role of design at Chase and transformed it into a design-led organization.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I’m proud of making the effort to graduate a semester early, and pursue a goal that I had somewhat neglected during my time in college. I have been passionate about art and design for my entire life, but had never explored it in the depth I wanted to. I was also unsure if I’d be successful in a creative career path. After graduating from Lehigh in the fall, I began a graphic design certificate at Parsons School of Design, which has allowed me to intensively study my favorite discipline and broaden my skill set. I’m proud of myself for prioritizing my goals and taking deliberate action towards my personal and professional development.

Which classmate do you most admire? It’s hard to pick just one, but I would say the classmate I most admire is Julia Zambetti. She has the most incredible work ethic in all aspects of her life, and she’s so passionate about business, particularly finance. She is constantly seeking to learn, even outside the classroom. More importantly, she is a compassionate friend and has the most vibrant personality. I know these qualities will make her an amazing business leader and I’m excited to see what the future holds for her.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My parents! They have always created a supportive environment and encouraged me to pursue all of my goals. They are also the best role models in the world.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? I’m currently working on earning a graphic design certificate from Parsons School of Design, so one of my top short-term goals is to complete that!  Something on my long-term bucket list would be to establish my own creative marketing agency.

What are your hobbies? I have always loved the creative process–from brainstorming and ideation to manifesting some sort of physical end result. Right now, I’m channeling that into drawing and digital art, as well as crocheting, but I’d love to delve into some other creative discipline soon. I also enjoy running and practicing yoga, as well as spending time outdoors, particularly at the beach.

What made Kat such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?  

“I know Kat very well as she was a student in two of my classes – Eco 119 (Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory) and Eco 338 (International Economics).  She also often chatted with me about her academic and career plans. Academically, Kat excels. As a first-year student, Kat was by far the best student out of three sections of Eco 119, Intermediate Macroeconomics, most of whom were juniors and seniors.  Kat also excelled in my International Economics class, and was one of the most active participants in our classroom discussions.

During both of these classes Kat exhibited a poise, maturity, and degree of engagement that is very rare, even amongst graduate students.  I could always count on Kat to answer any question I posed during class, and she was always right!  Kat clearly has great economic intuition as she quickly grasped difficult concepts, but she is also very hard-working and smart.

Indeed Kat did so well in Eco 119 that I asked her to be my Apprentice Teacher — a job that I give to only one student per year, the student who not only excels academically, but also possesses the personal qualities that bode well for success in this role — patience, clear-thinking, good communication skills, and of course an excellent command of the material that she will be teaching. This job entailed meeting weekly with students (many of whom were senior to her) to answer any questions they might have and helping them to understand difficult material. Her ability to run these sessions on her own (with very little guidance from me) demonstrates Kat’s maturity, reliability, and great organizational skills.

Kat is an exceptional young woman who strikes me as being incredibly hard-working, energetic, and extremely smart.”

Judith A. McDonald
Professor, Economics

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