By Keyanna Dunn '16
Stephanie Dolan '85 returned to Siena on September 28 to share her tips to success with a packed auditorium of students. Dolan’s presentation, “Siena to Wall Street: Lessons Learned Along the Way,”was part of the annual School of Business Lecture Series.
Even before attending Siena, Dolan knew she wanted to study accounting. Her focused academic aspirations led her to Siena’s Accounting Program where she found a career in public accounting.
After graduating from Siena, she entered the profession as a manager in the audit practice at Arthur Andersen LLP where she worked with banking, hedge fund and mutual fund clients. Dolan was happy to find a familiar link between the academic world she had recently left and professional world she was entering.
“Public accounting firms are a continuation of college. They truly are because each year, if you haven’t screwed up, you get to the next level,” she explained.
After moving on from Arthur Andersen LLP, Dolan became Managing Director with Lehman Brothers Inc. She took the position of Controller of the Investment Management Division where she worked on budgeting, financial reporting and accounting. In this role, Dolan was able to further develop and expand her finance skills.
Dolan is currently the Deputy Chief Financial Officer at One William Street Capital Management. She used the experiences that she has had in her various roles to motivate students
Having experienced many facets of the finance world during her career, Dolan returned to where her love of business cultivated to share her professional experiences and to motivate current students.
“If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it,” Dolan advised. “Don’t do a job you don’t love!”
