Taking Care of Business
A business degree builds the skills, knowledge and experience to thrive in today’s evolving economy. Located in the economic heart of New Hampshire, UNH Manchester’s business program gives you the skills and connections to become a successful, innovative leader.
“At UNH Manchester, the business program is especially career focused,” says business alumnus Eric Zale '19. “Everyone in the program has their eye on the same goal: getting a good job after graduating.”
It was that desire to secure a promising job, while also pursuing a field of study he would remain interested in, that drew Zale to the business program. After taking Professor William Troy’s Introduction to Business course, Zale’s eyes opened to how versatile business was and how intimidating subjects like math and quantitative courses were actually manageable with the right guidance. In his current position as a senior data analyst at BAE Systems, Zale is required to utilize high levels of math on a daily basis.
“The business program at UNH Manchester really reached me where I was at skills-wise,” Zale says. “I was able to graduate with marketable analytical skills, where just a few years before entering the program I was intimidated by more basic mathematical topics. Learning how to apply these concepts in business really helped me learn them.”
Zale isn’t what you’d consider a “traditional” student, joining the workforce straight out of high school rather than immediately pursuing a collegiate degree. This “non-traditional” journey seems to be one many of UNH Manchester's business students have pursued. It's why Stephanie Cofrin '13, an account executive at Authomize, chose UNH Manchester.
“One of the main reasons I chose UNH Manchester was because there were so many other students like me,” Cofrin says. “Being a non-traditional student, I just could not imagine myself in these huge lecture halls with hundreds of 18-year-olds. Honestly, it was the best decision I could have made.”
The flexibility of the scheduling, accessibility of the professors and relationships Cofrin developed with her fellow classmates were all added bonuses, Cofrin says.
“UNH Manchester really fit perfectly for me because it was at that great intersection of being able to find a community of like-minded people, students and professors,” says business alumna Beth Marceau ’13, director of talent at Knock CRM. “Pursuing a degree here gave me that immersion into college life, but still gave me the independence that I needed in my life.”
Students in the business program are required to complete an internship, which all of these alums cite as a factor that set them apart in the job market.
“I think requiring an internship is the pillar of what makes UNH Manchester’s business program so successful,” Marceau said.
Cofrin’s internship lead directly to being hired by the company she interned at following graduation. And even if you don’t land a full-time job at the company where you interned, Zale stressed the importance of networking and pursuing internships from day one.
“I’ve served on a number of recruiting committees, and when comparing two individuals for a position, with all other things being equal, the applicant with the internship on their resume is going to land the position every time,” he says.
In addition to taking advantage of the networking opportunities UNH Manchester’s business program provides, Cofrin and Marceau encourage students preparing to join this unique program to show up, and to be present.
“Take opportunities when they become available and stretch outside of your comfort zone,” Marceau said. “Do something that’s really going to test the bounds of your comfortability, otherwise you’re going to stay stagnant and not meet your career goals.”
For Cofrin, UNH Manchester's business program gave her the skills, connections and experience for a successful career.
“The value of education I received, the connections I made and experiences I had all completely changed my perception of smaller, more community-based campuses,” Cofrin said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without my degree and my UNH Manchester experience and education specifically.”