Alumni Benefits from the Versatility of Drexel's Grad Program

Manna Pourrezaei

After an unexpected career shift, Eric Szentesy, 32, has made a home for himself at Commerce Bank thanks to Drexel University’s graduate program.

Szentesy, a resident of Havertown, Pa., is working in a training program at the Havertown branch of Commerce Bank, where he has spent the past two and half months gaining the skills and experience to manage his own branch of Commerce Bank.

But Szentesy did not expect to be working a managerial job at a bank. While obtaining a masters degree in communications in a two and half year program at Drexel University, he worked in the university’s admissions office, until he graduated in December, 2005.

Szentesy planned on continuing his work in the admissions office, either at Drexel University or another institution, but after a friend referred him to the job at Commerce Bank, he made a change of plans.

“It was a great opportunity and I made move,” Szentesy said.

Although his experience at Drexel University was more geared towards staying in higher education, the skills he learned in the admissions office and in his courses have assisted him in his new career, Szentesy said.

“There are definitely some parallels and crossovers. I think the degree transfers well,” Szentesy said.

Specifically, Drexel’s masters program taught the marketing, communication, and web design skills, which helped him obtain the position and facilitates his management, Szentesy said.

“Anytime you can get a masters degree, it’s going to make you more marketable to employers,” Szentesy said.