1. What 
was your major/minor and when did you graduate?
Major: Business Administration
Graduated: Spring of 2013
2. What is your current position (title, company, location)? Can you describe a typical day?
I am currently a Business Systems Administrator for a private equity firm, The Carlyle Group in Washington D.C. Typical day in the life of Joey consists of taking the metro in bright and early to avoid the crowds. I get in to the office and settled/logged in well before most of my coworkers as it allows me to get my daily work done without interruption due to meetings/calls/etc. I am one of three on my team that manage multiple applications that employees all over the globe use on a daily basis, from submitting travel/expense reports to our database management application. Daily responsibilities range from provisioning new users/employees to a specific application to updating business rules/jobs and the occasional project management work.
3. How did your major prepare you for your current job?
Being that Business Administration was an “all encompassing” major, I took a good amount of classes that helped to get me the job I have today. Project Management and Database Management are the more obvious courses that use on a daily basis. That said, because Business Administration was more of a general degree, I took Professional Selling to fulfill my degree requirements. Professional Selling was one that surprisingly helped the most get to where I am today. It is imperative that you are able to communicate well with potential employers and ultimately sell yourself in interviews. Professional Selling played a vital role in helping me learn to “sell myself” and ultimately get to where I am today.
4. How did you become interested in your field?
I have always been interested in computers and programming as well as good with numbers. After taking a couple of courses in programming and database management, I realized that database management was something that I not only can succeed at (numbers) but I am interested in (computers/SQL/programming) and here we are. I took a very roundabout way to get to the position I am in today but I was able to finally get a job I truly enjoy.
5. What’s the best career advice you ever received?
Until you have a family you are never too old to keep striving for the job that makes you happy. Find something that you WANT to do instead of a job you feel like you HAVE to do.
6. Was there a professor, advisor, or fellow student who made an impression on you or helped you when you were at UMW?
Lynne Richardson definitely left a lasting impression during and after my time at Mary Washington. She has been an unbelievable resource that I can never thank enough for all her help over the years.
7. What’s your fondest memory of UMW?
Baseball Senior Day
8. How would your family or friends describe you in seven words or less?
Straightforward, fun, engaging, critical and confident
9. In one sentence, what advice would you give current business students?
Find out what you want you want to do and run with it.
