Jamie Morgenstern '18

Discovering Interests

It is very important to come to college with an open mind and to not be afraid to explore different things. I came in with the mindset that I wanted to go to law school, but that completely shifted once I began studying at ILR. Learning about human resources, organizational behavior, and the history of labor exposed me to different aspects of business and areas to explore outside of the legal sphere. I participated in ILR’s Winter Intersession Program in a labor relations position at a hospital, and working on labor issues helped solidify my interests. They had shifted over to work that was more focused on getting in touch with people and transforming organizations. After graduation, I began working as a consultant for Deloitte in NYC focusing on a wide range of organizational and business issues.

Favorite Class

I really enjoyed my class on Organizational Change, where we explored how organizations deal with shifts in their company, such as a change in their CEO or their entire business strategy. My favorite class was Organizational Consulting with Professor Haggerty. We got to work with a company in upstate NY. The CEO and top executives from the firm came to us and told us the real business problems they were facing. Working directly with a CEO is a unique opportunity, and we had a chance to present our recommendations to the company at the end of the class. It was great to have this real-world experience because it helped me realize how I can directly apply what I was learning in the classroom in a real business setting prior to my summer internship in consulting.

Summer Internships

I found my internship through on-campus recruiting. Deloitte came to campus and held interviews at ILR’s Office of Career Services. I had the first interview in Ithaca and the second-round interview in NYC. At Deloitte, I consulted for a Fortune 500 company involved in consumer goods which was undergoing a significant human recourse transformation. My team included six different consultants, including one ILR alum. Working directly with the client presented an opportunity to apply what I learned from my classes and I was able to learn an incredible amount from my colleagues. My activities on campus, like serving as ILR Student Government's Co-President, have provided me with opportunities to learn about leadership and connect with people in ways that transfer well to consulting work. I think it is important to put yourself out there and get involved in activities throughout campus, not only to break up academic pressures, but also to develop skills and interests that you can apply in real life.