Graduating senior Sean Cooney ’22 is Seattle-bound this summer. He will graduate from Barney School of Business with a degree in Management and a minor in Marketing, then plans to move to Washington state where he will be working for Amazon in their Retail Undergraduate Program (RUP). He was hired before graduation and believes his time at UHart provided real-life experience in preparation for the workforce. The curriculum in the classroom, blended with experiential learning and internships, set Cooney up for success with Amazon.
Cooney says, “UHart prepared me to achieve my career goals by always connecting class concepts to the real world.” Rigorous coursework and first-hand work experiences are cornerstones of the Barney School curriculum. He says specifically, “BAR 211 was a critical class for me. Getting experience with mock interviews and resume building helped me be more confident and also taught me how to think critically in a real workplace environment.”
Outside the classroom, Cooney completed an internship with Aetna, a CVS Health company in summer 2021. He was placed in the General Management Corporate Internship Program where he learned many critical corporate skills. “Without everything I’ve learned in my internship, I don’t think I would be where I am today,” he says.
Cooney wants to be a leader in business because he loves to see the “positive impact on others.” He was able to demonstrate that impact while participating in a collaborative project with CVS Health and the University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business. Cooney recalls that during this project, “My partner and I researched ways to bring affordable healthcare solutions to Women and Minority owned businesses in the Greater Hartford area.”
In his program, the most important connections Cooney believes he has made have been with impactful professors. He worked closely with Assistant Dean John Thomson, Dr. Celia Lofink, Dr. Nathan Tong, and Professor Ken Goroshko, all of whom have been critical supporters on his journey. He says “Don’t be afraid to go to your favorite professor’s office hours to get to know them, or just have a chat! You may find you have similar interests, and they always want to help you succeed!”
Cooney participated in extracurricular activities that enriched his academic and professional experiences. He is President of the Economics and Finance Club, Treasurer of DECA, and a member of the Barney Leadership Council. He recalls that one of his favorite experiences at UHart was being able to go to Austin, Texas for a professional development conference for DECA. At the conference, he learned key information to help UHart’s chapter grow.
His favorite thing about UHart is the small campus community. “No matter where I walk, I always end up running into somebody I know. Some of the best conversations with professors and peers have been in passing,” Cooney says. He also says that getting involved is key. “Be outgoing! If you’re an introvert like me, be as outgoing as you can be. Everyone else is in your shoes freshman year!”
Sean Cooney '22, Management, Barney School of BusinessUHart prepared me to achieve my career goals by always connecting class concepts to the real world.