Amanda Ott ('22)
SUU to Goldman Sachs
Originally published on September 22, 2023.
Amanda Ott’s college experience didn’t start at Southern Utah University, but it ended here.
Amanda fell in love with the business programs at SUU, saying “SUU’s finance program to me is like Sam to Frodo, Buzz to Woody, Pedro to Napoleon, Ethel to Lucy…”. Amanda also loved the welcoming and positive atmosphere at SUU and she eventually made the decision to transfer from her first university and become a full time student. SUU provided Amanda the opportunity to learn more about the field of business–in her case,
finance specifically.
During her time at the business school, Amanda developed personally and professionally, with many mentors along the way. Two of these mentors were her professors, whom she names among the “most noteworthy”. These mentors were Nathan McNamee, director of the
MBA Program and Steve Engst, professor of finance at the
Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business. The wisdom offered by these professors positively impacted Amanda, and continues to do so even into her professional career at Goldman Sachs, the second largest investment bank in the world. At SUU, Amanda learned to embrace opportunities, and to never be afraid to ask for help. Using Professor McNamee’s advice to track her many job applications, Amanda found the position at Goldman through Linkedin and was eventually hired on as a Folia Integration Analyst. Amanda utilized the expertise of her professors and mentors and achieved great things through their help and advice.
Amanda graduated from the Leavitt School in 2022. Amanda offers current and incoming students three pieces of advice: get involved, take advantage of your professors expertise and willingness to help, and document the journey. “I found that the employers I interviewed with figured I knew my stuff since I had a fancy piece of paper that said so” she said. While studying at SUU, Amanda became president of the finance club, and was also a part of the investment scholars group as well as the corporate finance case study group. Amanda advised to document the journey as well; “Do something for your future self to look back at ... .your time at SUU will fly by and be over before you know it.”
