Hanna Marks earned both her B.A. in Math - Actuarial Science and her MBA in Accounting at Seton Hill. She also worked as a math tutor and served as the captain of the women’s soccer team. Now an investment professional at Nationwide Financial, she recently shared her thoughts on her Seton Hill experience.

Why did you choose Seton Hill for your undergrad and your MBA? 

I chose Seton Hill for undergrad because it was a great blend of competitive athletics and challenging academics while being close to family. It was an easy decision to continue into grad school because of the FastForward Program. I was able to start grad classes during my senior undergrad year and earn my MBA in only one year. I also had another year of athletic eligibility so I was able to continue playing soccer while getting my MBA. Not to mention the tuition discount!

How did you balance the demands of being a student-athlete and math tutor with classwork (and everything else)? 

Great question! Sometimes I don’t know how college students balance it all. There’s really no formula for balancing life when you have so many things going on, but I’ve learned it’s much more palatable when you have great friends and a balanced social life. Sometimes it’s exhausting, but having awesome friends who you can adventure through your college journey with make the tough times a bit easier.

"I was able to start grad classes during my senior undergrad year and earn my MBA in only one year."

What was the journey like from the MBA Program to your current position at Nationwide Financial?

It was tough, not gonna lie. I moved out of state and started a job that challenged me in a way I had never been challenged before. I learned A LOT about how to learn and how to ask effective questions. In my school experience, I had most of the tools I needed to succeed and I didn’t feel like I necessarily needed support from people. But I learned really quickly that the work world was not the same. There were no scoring rubrics or books or instructions and I needed to learn how to leverage my coworkers to help me succeed. Someone I worked with always said “don’t go it alone” and that’s so true.

Do you use things you learned at Seton Hill in your current job? 

For sure. Technically speaking, not a ton - I changed careers about four years ago so this isn’t as applicable. But holistically speaking, yes. Some of the softer skills I learned from classes and athletics (presenting, preparing accurate and clear data visualization, leading groups, etc) have transitioned into the work world.

Do you have anything you’d like to share about the MBA Program with people who may be considering it?

The FastForward Program was well worth it! My grad school year was an all-around amazing experience between athletics and earning my MBA.