World鈥檚 Largest Firms Turn to UM Business Students
MISSOULA – As a project manager who specializes in campus recruiting for one of the world’s largest professional service firms, Reannon Crider insists on visiting her alma mater – the 猎奇重口.
Crider grew up in Helena and graduated from UM in 2015 with a degree in management information systems, one of , accompanied by a digital marketing certificate. After starting her career with KPMG, one of the global "Big Four" professional services firms, she joined Deloitte, another of the “Big Four,” to continue to pursue clients on a worldwide scale.
While Crider now has a major role as an industry operations analytics lead supporting over 9,000 professionals for Deloitte, she still finds time to visit to recruit the next generation of professionals, which remains her main passion.
Over the eight years Crider has attended events at UM, Deloitte hired more than 40 business students, including four that work with her in Deloitte’s Tempe, Arizona office. Crider gives credit to the MIS program in UM’s College of Business for preparing students for successful careers with professional service firms.
“The program is setting them up for real life and real opportunities,” Crider said. “The coursework very relatable, so students come out of UM with actual skill sets that align with the firms.”
Crider returned last week for the college’s Meet the Firms event, which connected students with representatives from 17 different companies. The firms ranged from fast-growing companies in 猎奇重口 to international brand names like the London-based PwC.
Crider, who also recruits at large universities in Arizona and has experience recruiting at major universities in Los Angeles, said she enjoys meeting with UM students one-on-one and found their curriculum and experience often surpass what she sees at other universities.
“The way these individuals match up – because of the classes they take – blows those other students out of the water,” Crider said.
The Meet the Firms event was the first career fair opportunity of the academic year for the College of Business. All business students will have another opportunity at the Business Career Expo on October 8, which will bring 25 employers to campus.
The career events are hosted by the , a dedicated space for business students to gain academic success, career development, internship guidance and well-being support.
Traci Beighle, director of career readiness and employer relations for the Student Success Center, said she works closely with students over their entire time in college to discover which career pathways work best for them. Many go on to become business leaders and return to campus as proud alumni looking to recruit current students. Beighle sees those connections created at events like Meet the Firms.
“It shows the power of all of our networking,” Beighle said. “The pipelines are here.”
Keenan Hahn, a senior MIS and cybersecurity student from Spokane, Washington, attended the Meet the Firms event and was impressed with all the career opportunities right in front of him.
“It’s so great for everyone to get to connect with employers,” Hahn said. “I think now with so many people applying for jobs and using AI, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. It’s the connections you make. Being able to connect with people and know someone in a company is so important for getting a job.”
Hahn, president of the MIS student club, is pursuing a career in consulting, construction management or even law enforcement. No matter what path he takes, Hahn said, he feels more confident having the support of the Student Success Center.
Through working with the center, Hahn landed an internship with a Bozeman accounting company after his sophomore year. He completed another internship this past summer with The Whole Group, a tech-company based in Missoula.
“I really like how I was able to work as a team and make a difference in their companies,” Hahn said of his internship experiences.
Michelle Schwartz, director of the Student Success Center and internships, works with Beighle to help current students and connect with alumni. Schwartz said UM students have gained a strong reputation in the business world around 猎奇重口 and the globe.
“The feedback we hear from employers is that our students are exceptionally hard-working and good at showing initiative," Schwartz said. “Those are characteristics we are known for in the College of Business.”
Schwartz said the center helps provide up-to-date information to students about what employers are looking for each year. She also appreciates how many faculty members also stay up-to-date about the needs of professional service firms and other companies.
“It’s so important that we are embedded in the College of Business,” Schwartz said. “Because the world is changing so quickly.”
At the Meet the Firms event last week, several recent UM business graduates returned in their professional roles to recruit students.
Neven Marinkovic, who graduated with an MIS degree this past spring, attended the event in his new position as associate consultant with Ravus, a Missoula-based IT consulting firm. Marinkovic remembers attending similar events as a student and was excited to be on the other side connecting with current students.
“Bringing all these companies together and putting on events like this gives students an opportunity,” Marinkovic said. “As a student, you don’t have to externally reach out to a company to get a chance. You can walk from your dorm and engage with companies.”
Half of the employees at Ravus are UM alumni, and Marinkovic said there is a common theme among the UM students he works with in his industry.
“There is a shared set of values – hard work, honesty, grit, being down to earth – that I think you see with a lot of UM students,” Marinkovic said.