Leayah Dauber always knew she wanted to help people and always enjoyed working with math and numbers. Those passions led her to Alfred State and a business administration degree with a concentration in financial planning. Upon graduation, she walked right into a position at John G. Ullman & Associate, Inc.
Leayah's Pioneer PROfile video
“I wanted to see what I could put together that allowed me to help people but also still use my passion for math and that turned out to financial planning. I took a couple of classes here and I just fell in love with the investment side of things.”
Collaborating with the professors in the business department was a highlight of her college experience. “They take the time to meet with you, understand what you want out of a career, and if they have connections, they're willing to set you up with those connections and make sure you're meeting your goals They want to see you succeed in ways that are unimaginable.”
Leayah put her knowledge and skills right to work. “The skills that I learned at Alfred State were put into use, especially a lot of the hard skills and soft skills from the classroom. The different varieties of wealth management planning, but also the relationship development skills that you learn working with people on a day-to-day basis.”
Recruiting and networking opportunities helped Leayah get her foot in the door at John G. Ullman & Associates. “I had worked at local companies nearby and I had connected with a local recruiter. I also knew that this was a firm that welcomed Alfred State students. We have a couple of other alumni that are from here and really love the role. It is a welcoming environment for Alfred State students.”
Leayah encourages those who are intrigued with math and want to help others to explore careers in financial planning. “It is really important to get out there and experiment through internships and part-time work to make sure that is the field you want to be in.”
Leayah was able to find a career to match her passions at Alfred State.