Mary Margaret Hughes, '17

For most graduates, the 2017 commencement ceremony marked the first, exciting step toward the professional world; for Mary Margaret Hughes, it meant confidently beginning her third full-time work experience. Mary Margaret, a native of Clinton, New York, is a graduate of the Haub School of Business’ Accelerated Cooperative Education Program (Co-op), which allows students to complete two semesters of paid full-time work while still earning their undergraduate degree in four years. With the exposure and skill set gained through the program, Hughes earned her producer’s license — a certification that is a crucial stepping-stone for her insurance agents — before her senior year. She then accepted a competitive post-graduate position as an associate broker in the Philadelphia office of Aon, a multinational insurance corporation.

Mary Margaret held semester-long co-ops at Gateway Specialty Insurance and Apogee Insurance Group in her sophomore and junior years.

"The co-op program was a major factor in my decision to attend SJU. Because co-ops last four to six months, I knew that the experience would give me an advantage over other applicants when applying for jobs after graduation.”