John Henry Gingrich

Villanova University School of Business

“Driven by faith and strong values, with a deep commitment to family, tradition, and service.”

Fun fact about yourself: I love to fly fish.

Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania

High School: Manheim Township High School

Major: Finance

Minor: Business Law

Favorite Business Course: Portfolio Management with Professor Amy Kratchman

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• Captain of Villanova Men’s Swimming & Diving Team
  • Athletic Director’s Honor Roll
  • Big East All-Academic Team
  • Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
• VP of Operations & Budget for the VSB Dean’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Council
• VSB Spirit Leader
• Member of Villanova Finance Group
• Member of Student Government Association
• Day of Service Volunteer
• Special Olympics Volunteer

Where have you interned during your college career?

• Fulton Financial Advisors – Lancaster, Pennsylvania – Investment Summer Analyst
• Goldman Sachs – New York, New York – Private Wealth Management Summer Analyst

Where will you be working after graduation? Goldman Sachs – New York, New York – Private Wealth Management Analyst

Who is your favorite business professor? Professor Jeanne Liedtka has been the most influential and selfless professor, as I’ve had the privilege of taking three of her Business Law courses. Not only was Professor Liedtka’s teaching style and approach exceptional, but her genuine care and passion for student growth is second to none. Throughout our classes together, Professor Liedtka always puts the student first. Business Law is an integral part of our education, and Professor Liedtka ensures that we are set up for success when entering the business world. Professor Liedtka truly respects us and has our best interests in mind. Mutual respect between a professor and student is rare, but Professor Liedtka mastered this relationship and made every student feel appreciated. On a personal level, Professor Liedtka was an avid fan of the Villanova Swim & Dive team, attending our meets and inviting the team over to her house for an annual dinner. Thank you for your endless support.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The importance of building genuine relationships with others. Achieving long-term success requires the ability to connect meaningfully with people. While financial concepts can be developed through experience, strong networking and interpersonal skills are essential and should be a primary area of focus. This is a people-driven business, and effective communication is critical to fostering growth.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Seek mentorship from upperclassmen, peers, family members, and industry professionals. These individuals have valuable experience and insight into the process and can offer informed guidance. Ask thoughtful questions, remain curious about available opportunities, and take time to understand the distinctions between academic majors while aligning them with your personal interests and career goals.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I would seek additional opportunities to become more involved. There is a wide range of organizations and clubs that provide educational experiences across various topics, many of which also offer opportunities to give back through mentoring and supporting others.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? As students, we are encouraged to use AI as a tool for inspiration and research. I regularly utilize various AI platforms to gather diverse perspectives and information, which I then synthesize to develop my own ideas.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of the relationship I share with my two older brothers. As I have grown older, I have come to fully appreciate the profound importance of family. My brothers are not only my closest friends, but also my mentors, and nothing brings me greater pride than that bond. They taught me how to “Be the Bridge” that connects people together.

Which classmate do you most admire? A classmate I admire is Gavin Jones, who is also my teammate, roommate, and good friend. I’ve had the opportunity to take numerous classes with Gavin and been able to watch him succeed in the accounting profession. Gavin inspires me to always take a deeper understanding of what is being taught and to always be grateful for the opportunity to learn.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I want to thank my parents, grandparents, and brothers for their endless support and guidance. I am beyond grateful for the role each of them has played in my life, and I would not be where I am today without my family’s love.

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

1. Start a philanthropic foundation with my brothers
2. Ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange

What made Henry such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?

“I have had the pleasure of teaching Henry three times: in VSB 2007: Corporate Responsibility and Regulation, an introductory business law and ethics course; in BL 2175, Intellectual Property Law for Business, and in BL 2185: Law of Contracts and Sales. Henry has been one of the most rewarding students I have ever taught, because he is so genuinely interested in learning. During class, he would thoughtfully contribute to class discussions. After almost every lecture, he would linger to ask questions about the material and to confirm his understanding of the concepts. His intellectual curiosity extended outside the classroom, and he would often share stories involving the course material that he discovered in other aspects of his life.

Although he worked hard and demanded academic excellence from himself, he never approached the work as a chore but always came to class enthusiastic and eager to learn. His final presentation in the intellectual property law class, for which he wrote a play exploring trademark and patent considerations of tech suits in competitive swimming, was both creative and engaging – especially when he poured water on his suit to demonstrate its impermeability.

Henry’s greatest gift to VSB, however, is not his obvious intelligence and work ethic, but his kindness. I have rarely met a college student who genuinely and ceaselessly tries to help everyone he meets. It’s no surprise that Henry was chosen to be captain of Villanova’s men’s swimming and diving team, or that he spent his limited spare time between practices and swim meets working as a VSB mentor to other students and serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. While his role on the VSB Dean’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Council included significant responsibilities as the Vice President of Operations and Budget, it also gave him opportunities to dress up as the Easter Bunny and Santa, handing out candy to spread joy among both students and staff.  I have seen Henry give an upset classmate a friendly smile and share concern for a professor’s elderly parent. I am so proud that such a genuinely good person has been chosen to represent the Villanova School of Business.

Jeanne M. Liedtka, Esq.
Associate Teaching Professor
Department of Marketing & Business Law  

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