HPU graduates are leading prestigious career paths around the world at Fortune 500 companies, international service programs, public school systems, top-tier law, medical and graduate school programs, and many other esteemed organizations thanks to their journey at HPU. Here’s a glimpse of one extraordinary senior from the Class of 2022:
Name: Ryan Hesterman
Hometown: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Major: Neuroscience with a minor in psychology
Post-graduation plans: Hesterman will be joining J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in their Rotational Analyst Program as a corporate analyst. The program focuses on project management, analytics and process improvement across various divisions at J.P. Morgan, including operations, cyber security, strategy, finance and risk management. Hesterman’s role at each rotation will be to help drive projects through to completion by analyzing and presenting key data to improve products and offerings.
How HPU helped you get there: “HPU’s Honors Program provided a holistic approach to education — by challenging me to become proficient in multiple areas and allowing me to pursue disciplines outside of my chosen major. Additionally, throughout my journey over the past four years, the faculty and students at HPU supported and guided me in my professional endeavors.”
Most impactful mentor at HPU: “Dr. Kristin Ackerman, director for MS Biomedical Sciences, and assistant professor of medical sciences, has been a tremendous mentor to me. I took many classes with Dr. Ackerman, in addition to being a member of her research lab for the past four years. From my first class with Dr. Ackerman, I saw that she had a profound amount of respect for all of her students and was deeply concerned about their success on an academic and personal level. Dr. Ackerman was also transformational in showing me how I could take my experience in science to pursue a career in finance.”
Most impactful moment at HPU: “There was one particular moment in my class, The Cost and Value of Higher Education, that had the most influence on my life and career choice beyond graduation. The professor, Dr. Nathan Hedman, opened class by asking the question ‘What would you do for the rest of your life if you made a guaranteed $70,000 each year?’ My classmates and I answered the question with what job would make us happiest. My gut response was a career in finance — rather than being a doctor, which is what I had been pursuing for the past three years of college. This moment initiated a realization that maybe I should pursue what will make me most happy. From this point, I began to pivot away from science and to a career in finance.”
Advice for underclassmen: “My brother often tells me. ‘Ryan, be patient. We are all on our own journey.’ I would offer the same advice to underclassmen. It can be easy to look at your peers and see that they have a phenomenal internship lined up for the summer or that they have a 4.0 GPA and you do not. It can lead to us feeling inadequate or behind, causing anxiety. Of course, there are times when observing our peers can inspire us to become better students and better people; however, don’t allow comparison to get in the way of your own happiness and your own journey.”
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