DALLAS, Pa. — As president of Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Business and Entrepreneurial Club, Jada Vanderpool has the opportunity to help organize events, meet business leaders and gain valuable networking skills. She said she thinks the experience she has gained at Penn State Wilkes-Barre will be of great benefit to her future career in accounting.
Vanderpool, a fourth-year student majoring in business with an accounting concentration, became a member of the club last year.
“The club had a lot of networking events and opportunities that I wanted to be a part of creating,” she said. “I like giving opportunities to people and helping give them what they need to be successful in their careers.”
She had the chance to help plan a recent speed networking event for the club, which was held on campus as part of Penn State Startup Week. The event was followed by a Spotlight Series presentation on Advanced Technology in NEPA with the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce and Wilkes-Barre Connect.
During the speed networking event, students were able to have short personal conversations with working professionals and ask questions. Vanderpool explained that networking is part of almost every career and can help students gain opportunities for internships or jobs, as well as an understanding of a variety of jobs.
“The purpose was to help people understand how to network properly and efficiently,” she said. “Each of the professionals were from different backgrounds and worked within different career paths, which made each conversation unique and helpful to students. We had executive directors, business owners and leaders in the community to network with. We received great feedback on the event, as the students involved felt better connected to the community and more open to opportunity.”
Vanderpool said she appreciated the opportunity to attend the Spotlight Series event as well. “It's so nice to talk to others with similar interests or hear stories about their field of work. It also makes for great opportunities to work with them in the future, whether it be on a project or simply having a discussion," she said. "Working with the Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce has always been wonderful, and I look forward to staying connected after graduation.”
Stephanie Gresh, assistant teaching professor of business, is the adviser to the Business and Entrepreneurial Club and oversaw the speed networking event.
“As president of the Business and Entrepreneurial Club, Jada shines at bringing members together. She leads collaborative meetings and assigns tasks that fit each member’s strengths and interests,” Gresh said. “For the speed networking event, she worked closely with the team to create a thoughtful question guide that sparked great discussions, teamed up with me to develop fair and clear judging criteria, and rallied alongside club members to ensure nearly everyone showed up and got involved. Over the years, her leadership has grown remarkably. She started out more reserved. Now, she’s a confident guide, steering projects with ease and fostering teamwork among all members.”
In addition to the speed networking event, the club held a baby food drive as a community service project. Members are also planning a movie night featuring a business-related movie later in the semester.
Vanderpool, who grew up in Laceyville, Pennsylvania, and attended Agora Cyber Charter School, said she likes the size of Penn State Wilkes-Barre and the chances for involvement that a smaller campus provides.
“I live more in the countryside and like that I was still able to get that feel at college,” she said. “It’s a tight-knight community that I enjoy being a part of. From my first day here and the people I met, I sensed I was going to enjoy it. I’ve made amazing friends and met a lot of mentors and connections I can take with me in my future career.”
Vanderpool said the campus faculty have been helpful in providing guidance and real-world opportunities. When she first started at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, she didn’t know which path she would take within the business major. She was able to meet with faculty members to get insight into their careers and learn more about pursuing her interests.
She decided to pursue the accounting option based on her prior experience in bookkeeping for a construction company. Vanderpool completed an accounting internship last summer with Cross Valley Credit Union where she worked on accounting and financial reports. She continues to work with the credit union in a volunteer role as a member of their supervisory committee, which reviews month-end reports to ensure there are no discrepancies. She said that after completing her degree, she hopes to return there or work at another bank or accounting firm.
Vanderpool said it was because of who she met and what she learned at Penn State Wilkes-Barre that she opted to stay at the campus for all four years.
“I realized I’d already built so many great connections on campus. I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself,” Vanderpool said. “I didn’t want to leave that behind. I really liked the people I had been working with and the opportunities that come with attending a smaller campus.”
In addition to the Business and Entrepreneurial Club, Vanderpool is part of Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Blue and White Society, a student group of the Penn State Alumni Association. She has been a volunteer for the Wyoming County Fair for about seven years, staffing the ticket booth and helping with concerts during the event.
Fitting in all her school, work and volunteer commitments is a balancing act, but Vanderpool said time management is a well-honed skill for her.
“I’m very good at creating a schedule and plugging things in,” she said. “I make sure I have time for schoolwork, work and the things I want to do personally. I also make sure I have downtime so I don’t burn myself out.”