In early March, Jamie Dimon — the chairman and chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co. — visited Queens College for an event dubbed a “Fireside Chat,” which took place in the fourth floor Student Union Ballroom.
The School of Business worked with President Frank Wu’s office and the New York Jobs CEO Council to host Dimon on campus.
This Fireside Chat marked the 2023 – 2024 academic year’s second major visit from an industry leader in finance, the first being John C. Williams, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in October.
Dimon shared with QC students insight on his leadership style, as well as discussion about JPMorgan Chase’s international expansion strategies, different geopolitical influences, and emerging market trends.
“Our QC students speak different languages, have international backgrounds, have part time jobs, and receive military training. These qualities in multiculturalism and diligence plus military skills in teamwork, logistics, supply, and communication should be elevated,” Schiro Withanachchi, associate dean of the School of Business said.
Dimon’s visit set out with a goal of bridging the gap between academia and industry. In a highlight reel posted on Queens College YouTube channel, CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said that, soon after he was appointed as chancellor, Dimon told him,“We need to find a way to connect the incredible talent that you have at the City University of New York with the employers in New York City.”
In line with this goal, Dimon discussed establishing mentorship programs that connect students with industry professionals and training for resume writing, interviews, and digital skills.
“A lot of you already have these skills,” Dimon said at the event. “There are real skills in life that people want you in the room. People know you’re going to do your job, and you can learn that at McDonald’s and you can learn in the Army. You can learn at almost any job you have what matters to people.”
Following this discussion and a student Q&A session, Dimon joined the crowd of students, taking selfies and answering more questions one-on-one.
“One student told me that she nervously approached him as he was surrounded by male students,” Withanachchi said. “She was able to share her aspirations in finance. She was surprised that Dimon engaged in a genuine conversation, offering advice and encouragement that left a lasting impact on her career journey.”
For further application of the strategies discussed in the event with Jamie Dimon, Withanachchi encourages students to attend various networking events hosted at QC, along with career fairs and workshops organized by the School of Business and the Center for Career Engagement and Internships.
“Students could also enhance their skills by attending Career Readiness workshops offered by the School of Business with a great team of experts. Finally, LinkedIn is a good platform to network with professionals and QC alums who can offer insights into potential career paths and job referrals,” Withanachchi said.
The next School of Business event is the Business Breakfast on Tuesday, April 16th at 8:30 a.m. Such events provide experience, guidance and learning opportunities for students to transition from an academic setting to a professional zone as was discussed at the Fireside Chat with Dimon.
