Whitman Student Seizes Abroad Opportunity Through Learning and Interning

Lauren Deligtisch ’24 capitalized on every opportunity she could during her study abroad experience in London. While continuing her studies and navigating new city, she was able to take on an internship during the semester, where she gained invaluable experience.

Deligtisch says, “I wanted the experience of living, studying and working in an unfamiliar country and environment. London is a top global financial center, and, as a finance student, I felt that it was a perfect fit.”

DELIGTISCH WITH PROFESSOR MARITAN AND HER CLASSMATES VISITING WIMBLEDON DURING HER TIME IN LONDON.

During the Spring 2023 semester, she took classes that correlated well with her finance major. BUA 474: Project Learning in Business taught by Professor Catherine Maritan was one of those courses. Deligtisch selected this class because she felt it was a perfect mix of studying abroad and her Whitman major. As part of the course, she conducted a semester-long project where she analyzed the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), specifically around its provisions to support clean hydrogen. However, her favorite part of the course was all the different site visits she was able to attend, such as Wimbledon, a tour of London’s financial district, Canary Wharf, the Museum of Brands and a retail walking tour.

In addition to Deligtisch’s studies, the Syracuse London Internship Program allowed her to gain experience outside the classroom at the Global Returns Project, a U.K.-registered charity connecting investors with the world's highest-impact climate philanthropy. During the internship, she served as a lead coordinator for the 50 Days to Make a Difference crowdfunding campaign, generated customer relationship reports through Salesforce, conducted statistical research surrounding climate change philanthropies and researched possible candidates for an advisory board.

“Gaining internship experience in London was a great opportunity to change my perspective on global business. It was also a great way for me to network with professionals in a different country and get exposure to all the different opportunities out there,” Deligitisch says.

Outside of class and internship work, she was able to spend her free time exploring the city of London or traveling to different European countries on the weekends. One of her favorite trips was going to Italy, where she embraced the culture and tried all the amazing food with friends.

Over the summer, Deligtisch completed another rewarding internship at JP Morgan as a summer asset and wealth management analyst on the advice lab team. Following her graduation from Syracuse in May 2024, Deligtisch is excited to return to the finance firm for a full-time role.

“The blend of experiential experiences throughout the city and a major-specific project was a unique and invigorating opportunity I could only get from studying abroad,” she says, “A piece of advice for younger students is to go somewhere that you think would stretch you out of your comfort zone and will expose you to new opportunities that you are interested in academically, professionally and personally.”

Martin J. Whitman School of Management offers many global opportunities for students. Learn more about Whitman students and their experiences.

By Anna Rooney ’24