Peter Nolan '11 works for JP Morgan Chase as an analyst in Equity OTC Derivatives and Structured Products.
Nolan found that contact with one Kenyon graduate led to another, enabling him to build up a network of professional contacts offering invaluable advice about narrowing his career goals, résumé-writing, and interviewing. Chief among them were four recent alumni employed in the financial sector at firms ranging from UBS and Barclays Wealth to Brown Brothers Harriman and Accenture. "They showed me how to stand out from a highly qualified applicant pool that included graduates from schools such as Harvard and Cornell," he said.
Nolan credits discussion-based classes and lively debates engendered by faculty such as James P. Keeler, professor of economics, for helping him develop the confidence to excel at presentations and interviews. "I was a competitive job candidate because I could think clearly and quickly and articulate those thoughts under pressure—skills I developed in the highly interactive classes at Kenyon."
Outside of class, Nolan learned leadership and teamwork as captain of Kenyon's nationally ranked soccer team. "My participation in athletics was almost as important to my career aspirations as my work in the classroom."
Kenyon's excellent academic reputation was crucial, but the opportunities in athletics were what swayed Nolan. "It was evident I could pursue anything and everything inside and outside the classroom and have the opportunity to excel," he said. "None of the small liberal arts schools I looked at out East had a facility that compared to the Kenyon Athletic Center, and sports are a very important part of my life."