Michael Tenney, ’20

The Manager in Training program at Rich Products is exactly what I wanted after graduation! Over my 18 to 24 months in this position, I will be able to rotate around the company and focus on and learn key areas of the business, from sales and marketing to supply chain and innovation.

Professor Latella knew I was from Buffalo, and SJU had a couple of reps from Rich's (headquartered in Buffalo) come to campus. Professor Latella thought this would be a great opportunity for me, so I gave a campus tour to the Rich's representatives. I was able to learn about the MIT program and was very interested, so I connected with the reps and stayed in touch.

Saint Joseph's turned my passion and excitement for food into an academic and professional opportunity. Being a student in such a prestigious and focused program made me stick out throughout the recruitment and interview process as well. Saint Joe's taught me to never settle, either: be ambitious and work hard for your goals. I wanted to find the same mentality in a job and company, which I found at Rich's!

My first internship was with Wegmans Food Markets as a Store Operations Management Intern as a rising Junior. I loved this experience and working in retail was a great opportunity to learn more about the food industry. Then, I worked as a Marketing Intern for Wegmans in their corporate office in Rochester, NY. During the summer before Senior year, I focused on New Store Marketing and Openings (Brooklyn, NY, Harrison, NY and Raleigh, NC). Lastly, I studied abroad during the fall semester of my Junior year in Florence, Italy. Through Saint Joe's, I was able to substitute a class for an international internship.  In Florence, I worked as Marketing Intern for an Italian restaurant, where I focused on Social Media Marketing.

My biggest advice to any current or future Saint Joe's student would be to get involved on campus. Not only will this make your college experience more fun and well-rounded, but involvement allows you to learn and develop pertinent skills that companies want to see in job candidates. From giving tours, to joining clubs, and being involved in student leadership, there is something for everyone to get involved with that will enhance your skillset.