Kogod School of Business

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Office of Career Engagement

How We Partner With You
The Office of Career Engagement at American University's Kogod School of Business empowers students and alumni to build meaningful relationships and careers. Our mission supports the eight Career Readiness Competencies named by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) —career and self-development, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork, and technology.
Career Preparation

Personalized career coaching by desired career pathway, career exploration, self-assessment tools, resume and cover letter support, interview preparation, job search support, workshops, and more. 

Employer Engagement

Job and internship fairs, networking events, career treks, employer information sessions and meetings, and specialized programming.

Technology Suite

Supercharge your career development and job search using our on-demand tech suite from anywhere around the world. Access our technology and AI-powered services through Handshake, including Vmock, Firsthand, Big Interview, and more.

Upcoming Career Events

Career Pathways

 A career pathway curates alumni and employer panels, employer showcases, treks, coaching, and pathways programming,  all specifically designed around your desired career. Choose your career pathway here. 

Accounting and Taxation

​​​​​​​Accounting is an essential skill to be exposed to in business studies and has its own unique realm of opportunities. Kogod's Accounting programs meet the needs of students pursuing professional accounting careers in public accounting or in industrial, financial, governmental, not-for-profit, and consulting organizations. 

Analytics and Information Technology

Data analysis:

is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusion and supporting decision-making. Specialists in data analytics can be found in virtually any industry sector.

Information Systems:

focuses on the computer systems within a company to ensure the organizational goals are accomplished. Information Technology can be divided into hardware, software, or the internet. Professionals may work for market leaders, small-to-medium-sized companies, government agencies, healthcare, or consulting. Kogod's program is designed to provide students with an understanding of how individual users and organizations interact with technology and how computers, data and systems are managed within organizations.

Consulting

Consulting firms seek bright individuals with strong leadership, problem-solving analytical, and reasoning skills. Located worldwide consulting firms include those that specialize in management/strategy consulting but also include specializations such as financial, information technology, marketing and human resources consulting. Some firms specialize in specific industries such as the federal government or healthcare or education. Some larger firms have multiple advisory practices and smaller boutique firms specialize in specific areas.

Consulting roles include Strategic Planning, Management Consulting, Information Technology Consulting, Financial Consulting, Human Resources Consulting, and Government Contracting/Federal Government Consulting.

Entertainment

The intersection of business and entertainment is a rapidly growing and exciting field of study for those interested in  exploring the business side of the entertainment industry. Our program offers a substantial, exciting, and integrated curriculum that prepares students for a career in the entertainment sector. The business core provides a broad array of basic business knowledge and skills in areas such as accounting, finance, management, marketing, operations management, information technology, and business strategy. The entertainment core focuses on economic, legal, and business aspects of the entertainment industry itself, preparing students for work in this exciting area. Many students pursue careers with  agencies, management companies, record labels, distribution companies, audio technology and music performance.

Finance and Real Estate

The finance field is diverse and offers you a variety of career opportunities and functions. Finance encompasses sectors like commercial banking, asset management, and investment management. Alternative investments is a growing area within finance as opportunities grow at hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital firms. As there are a variety of career options within finance, understanding your career goals, interests, and work-life preferences is important to finding a satisfying career.

Management and Entrepreneurship

Management:

 Business management focuses on the art and science of running complex organizations and supervising others. Excellent business managers are very versatile individuals with a wide range of skills, including the creativity necessary to dream up outstanding business ideas and the intuition required to foresee and prevent potential disasters for their companies. They need to be precise thinkers and communicators, and they must be able to lay out clear plans for their subordinates. These individuals should also be strategic to avoid setting unrealistic goals and meticulous to avoid missing key details and making catastrophic decisions. The most effective business managers tend to be highly charismatic people who have a knack for inspiring others and generating goodwill.

Entrepreneurship:

Employers are looking for people who can invent/create new processes, methods, markets, customer, etc. While many may link innovation with technology, innovation can be applied to any job in any industry in any geography. It is worthwhile to develop problem-solving and creative thinking skills, along with the ability to spot trends, recognize opportunities and develop plans to capitalize on high-potential ideas. Emerging entrepreneurs and innovative managers of small to large businesses must be competent in various mediums of communication, have good negotiation skills, lead with ethics and integrity and be grounded in business aspects of planning, capital investing, goal setting and decision making. 

Marketing

Marketing involves the process of producing, pricing, communicating, and delivering offerings of value that encompass branding, advertising, digital, research, and more.

Sustainability Management

People are learning the importance of conserving the earth’s resources for the future. Careers in sustainability management can be at a local, regional, national, or world level. Renewable energy, government, community development, agriculture, natural resources, water, solar, wind, and entrepreneurship are just a few of the sectors in which those with sustainability management degrees work. Graduates are open to a wide range of possibilities due to the interdisciplinary nature of the industry. Strong problem solving and project management skills combined with expertise in the analyzing the environmental impact of business can lead to positions in green finance, corporate social responsibility, food and natural products, energy, climate, and natural resources, marketing and public relations, hospitality, and many more.  Opportunities can be found in public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Recent News

November 10, 2023
Business Leaders from Across Industries Speak at the Kogod School of Business

The school hosted a wide variety of speakers in 2023 and prepares to do the same in 2024.

November 8, 2023
Tight-Knit Business and Entertainment Program Fosters Growth in and Out of the Classroom

From hands-on curriculum to valuable experience at the student-run record label, this Kogod School...

October 27, 2023
Kogod School of Business Professor to Serve as Clio Awards Juror

Along with running his ad agency and judging Clio entries, Jesse Kirshbaum will teach a course...

October 16, 2023
Kogod Alum Credits Incubator Program with Career’s Beginnings

Metaintro cofounder Lacey Kaelani discusses how the Kogod School of Business prepared her for a...

October 16, 2023
Kogod Founders’ Forum Highlights Three Women-Led Businesses Focused on Sustainable Change

Kogod School of Business holds its third Gamechangers in Sustainability discussion in celebration...

October 11, 2023
Carlyle Group Co-Founder and Co-Chairman Joined Dean Marchick as Part of the Sine Distinguished Lecturer Series

“Do something that makes you happy,” David Rubenstein tells the AU audience during an on-campus...

Our Leadership Team

Andrea Carpenter
Asst Dean Career Services
Office of Career Engagement
(202) 885-2585
Kogod School of Business
Kogod - 122D
Email Andrea Carpenter
Biography

Andrea Carpenter has been with Kogod since 2011 and leads the Office of Career Engagement team of professional and student staff to deliver career services and programming for undergraduate, specialty MS, MBA, and alumni populations. Her background in academic and career advising, residence life, student services, and mental health along with her M.S. in College Student Personnel, informs her work as a student affairs professional. As a Nationally Certified Counselor, she works with students and alumni using a strengths-focused approach to gain a better understanding of themselves and the world of work and provides the resources for them to connect their skills and interests with meaningful career opportunities.

More About Andrea Carpenter

Wanda Lucas
Director of Career and Professional Development
Office of Career Engagement
(202) 885-1907
Kogod School of Business
Kogod - 122F
Email Wanda Lucas
Biography

Champion of individual success and career satisfaction! Seasoned professional and certified coach supported by a varied background in leadership, consulting, facilitation, and communication. Dedicated to the success of students aspiring to have meaningful, professional careers through targeted coaching. As a skilled facilitator, I present a variety of relevant topics across platforms designed to inspire and promote the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.

Schedule an Appointment

More About Wanda Lucas

Emily Kane
Director, Employer Relations
Office of Career Engagement
(202) 885-3818
Kogod School of Business
Kogod - 122G
Email Emily Kane
Kecia Hansard
Associate Director, Career and Professional Development
Office of Career Engagement
(202) 885-1383
MBA
Kogod - 122
Email Kecia Hansard
Biography

Kecia brings a strong background in MBA coaching, graduate admissions, and diversity initiatives to Kogod. She has worked at Georgetown, GW, and the University of Maryland. Kecia holds two master’s degrees in Community Counseling and Human Resource Development and a Leadership Certificate in Executive Coaching from George Washington University. Kecia enjoys the journey to a career. Helping students and alumni leverage their skills, education, and network while looking for new opportunities. She has coached engineering students and business students with special attention on the career transitioner. She is currently fighting with area wildlife to save her vegetable garden.

Schedule an Appointment

More About Kecia Hansard

Where to find us!

We are located in the Kogod School of Business in Suite 122 on the main level, adjacent to the Harris Student Lounge.

Interactive Map

4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016

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