Name: Ricky Zaffuto
Age/Year: 22/Senior
Hometown: Brockport, NY
Major(s): Finance, Accounting, and Public Relations
What are you involved in around campus? – I am the Finance Director for OrangeSeeds, an Orientation Leader, a member of the Student Philanthropy Council, and I volunteer at 3fifteen through Enactus.
Did you go abroad? – Yes! I went abroad to London in Fall 2013.
How was your experience? – While this is a common sentiment for many students who choose to go abroad, I have to say that it was probably the best experience I have had in college. I urge everyone to take advantage of this opportunity because there is no experience like it. It is likely that you will never get the opportunity to live abroad for four months ever again in your life, so do not miss out. There is so much to see outside of the United States, but you really cannot begin to understand that until you go abroad.
I see you’ve interned with great companies. What advice do you have for other driven Whitman students who also want successful internships? – Yeah, I have interned with Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan Chase, both of which gave me some great real world experience for my future career in finance. To land these types internships, I recommend going to all of the career fair events you can. Even if you do not see a future with any of the companies attending, it gives you great networking and interview experience for when you find the internship you truly want. Maintaining a high GPA is important too, as many companies have a GPA cutoff and will not even consider you if you do not meet it. Also, do not underestimate the power of networking.
What’s a fun fact about yourself? I love to travel. I actually just booked a trip to Iceland for a week after I graduate, so I think that will be pretty fun.
What is your dream job one day? I would love to work in the front office of a sports team, preferably in the NBA.
What is your favorite memory at Syracuse so far? It has to be beating Duke last year in overtime. Even Boeheim said it was the best game the Carrier Dome had ever seen.
Last question. If you were a cartoon character, what would you be and why? I’m going to go with Ash Ketchum. You’re lying if you say you didn’t wish Pokémon were real as a kid.
Do you have an Instagram and Twitter so people can follow you?
Yes! It’s @rzaffuto on Instagram and @RickyZaffuto on Twitter.