Jason Fortin, Class of 2012
Global Studies Major, Business Administration and Political Science Minor
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What are you doing now? What did you do after graduation?
After graduation, Jason moved to Washington, D.C. to join a corporate strategy team at a media company. He also worked as an internal consultant for three years. He is currently studying at the University of Chicago School of Business, completing his MBA. In the summer, he will be working for Goldman Sachs, an investment banking firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management. While at Bryant, Jason interned with the Carnegie Endowment think tank in Beijing, China. There, he reported to the director of the office. Together, they figured out how to structure the think tank while working through the challenges. He participated in research analysis and studied Chinese and U.S. relations. Why did you like studying Global Studies at Bryant? The Global Studies program exposed Jason to world events, cultural differences and politics. He enjoyed the challenging course curriculum. Jason was able to dive into advanced classes as a sophomore, pushing him to new limits and exposing him to new topics. Business learns fundamental facts while Global Studies learns how to identify problems, analyze them to find a solution and be creative. After graduating Bryant, Jason realized the importance of learning how to synthesize information, a process he did repeatedly in his classes and continues to do in his job. He credits Judy Litoff, John Dietrich and Richard Holtzman for pushing him to take a stand on an issue he didn’t necessarily have an opinion on, diversifying his arguments and point of view on the world. |
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Why would you encourage someone to study Global Studies?
It is important for employers to recognize you’re globally minded, especially in the world we live in today. The world is incredibly global. During Jason’s investment banking interviews at Goldman Sachs, he was asked questions such as: what is going on in the global economy? What is happening in China? What are three problems in the market of South America? The world is so globalized in nature, top tier firms want to know you understand what is happening in the world. By studying Global Studies, you learn how to tell a story and share it well. Global Studies helps students to be creative, analyze problems, and communicate well, with an understanding of culture. Jason’s background in understanding and assessing global situations and politics gave him a substantial advantage over other candidates when applying for jobs. Companies are looking for more global employees as we are entering a global economy.
What Global Studies skills/ways of thinking have helped you in your career?
Global Studies taught Jason how to analyze information and write effectively. In his first job, his boss would came with a problem and asked Jason to figure out how to grow their revenue by 20%. It sounds like a business problem, but it is multidimensional. Business learns fundamental facts while Global Studies learns how to identify problems, analyze them to find a solution and be creative. He had to figure out how to get from x to y for his job and had to understand how we got to where we are. He was able to weave in different ways of thinking to find innovative solutions. His quality of writing improved during his time at Bryant. Jason believes that “if you can't communicate and write down your thoughts, people won’t respect your idea. Once you learn how to structure information clearly, you can find weaknesses in your argument”. He understands the importance of learning how to write well, proofread, and be concise. It’s a cycle he continues to repeat in his career, analyze the problem until you reach the best possible solution. He credits Judy Litoff, John Dietrich and Richard Holtzman for pushing him to take a stand on an issue he didn’t necessarily have an opinion on, diversifying his arguments and point of view on the world.
It is important for employers to recognize you’re globally minded, especially in the world we live in today. The world is incredibly global. During Jason’s investment banking interviews at Goldman Sachs, he was asked questions such as: what is going on in the global economy? What is happening in China? What are three problems in the market of South America? The world is so globalized in nature, top tier firms want to know you understand what is happening in the world. By studying Global Studies, you learn how to tell a story and share it well. Global Studies helps students to be creative, analyze problems, and communicate well, with an understanding of culture. Jason’s background in understanding and assessing global situations and politics gave him a substantial advantage over other candidates when applying for jobs. Companies are looking for more global employees as we are entering a global economy.
What Global Studies skills/ways of thinking have helped you in your career?
Global Studies taught Jason how to analyze information and write effectively. In his first job, his boss would came with a problem and asked Jason to figure out how to grow their revenue by 20%. It sounds like a business problem, but it is multidimensional. Business learns fundamental facts while Global Studies learns how to identify problems, analyze them to find a solution and be creative. He had to figure out how to get from x to y for his job and had to understand how we got to where we are. He was able to weave in different ways of thinking to find innovative solutions. His quality of writing improved during his time at Bryant. Jason believes that “if you can't communicate and write down your thoughts, people won’t respect your idea. Once you learn how to structure information clearly, you can find weaknesses in your argument”. He understands the importance of learning how to write well, proofread, and be concise. It’s a cycle he continues to repeat in his career, analyze the problem until you reach the best possible solution. He credits Judy Litoff, John Dietrich and Richard Holtzman for pushing him to take a stand on an issue he didn’t necessarily have an opinion on, diversifying his arguments and point of view on the world.