Michael Williams, ’20

Johnson & Johnson's Finance Leadership Development Program seeks to develop the company's next generation of leaders. FLDP is a full-time rotational program that consists of two 18 month rotations in different parts of the company to maximize visibility and development. The program also includes several weeks of training and provides many opportunities for further development by sponsoring professional certifications including the CPA/CMA. My first FLDP rotation is on the Corporate Internal Audit Team based at J&J's World Headquarters in New Brunswick, NJ.

My J&J journey started with a co-op that I was hired for freshmen year at SJU supporting two Treasury teams. After the conclusion of that 6-month co-op I was re-hired to another internship opportunity supporting Ethicon Endo-Surgery in Cincinnati, OH. After the conclusion of that internship I was offered my FLDP position which I accepted before Senior year.

Johnson & Johnson's company values are rooted in their long-standing Credo. SJU's Jesuit values directly align with J&J's values in their Credo and this makes SJU students a great fit to work at J&J. The ethics-based education that I received at SJU along with the tangible business acumen that I developed on Hawk Hill helped prepare me for my co-op, internship and eventually my full-time role with J&J.

My co-op was my first step on my journey to FLDP. When I was invited back, I was initially invited back for another co-op, but I switched that offer to a summer internship so that I could become an RA on campus and study abroad. I got hired to be an RA and in the gap summer between my co-op and internship I lived and studied in Rome where I studied management in an Italian context and even got the opportunity to visit Proctor & Gamble's Rome office to learn more about how business is conducted in Italy and other European countries.

All of my experiences came to fruition because of the opportunities and support provided by SJU. My advice to all current students is to have the courage to take advantage of the opportunities that SJU provides; they will set you apart when it's time to graduate.