Many students arrive at college with a concentration in mind, then take a class or meet a professor who inspires them in a completely different area. Such was the case with Paige Zupan ’17 who came to Hamilton planning to major in biology. But thanks to economics classes that intrigued her, advice from faculty, and a semester in the New York City program, she found a path that led to an internship and ultimately a job with Sara Weinstein ’02 at Weinstein Carnegie Philanthropic Group, a cause marketing agency in New York City.
“Hamilton is a place where I grew as a student, a citizen, and a professional,” Zupan said. “The liberal arts curriculum allowed me to explore different types of courses, and ultimately led me to choose economics as my passion.” Despite her change in course, Zupan said, “If asked, I think that I would be able to name at least one important thing I learned from each course I took at Hamilton, no matter the discipline.
After taking some classes with Professor Paul Hagstrom, Zupan decided to declare as an economics concentrator at the end of her sophomore year. “Professor Hagstrom was an amazing advisor throughout my three years with him and he helped me to fulfill all of my graduation requirements for the econ. major, even after I took an entire year off from economics classes,” said Zupan.
Another person who influenced her experience at Hamilton was Joan Kane, academic office assistant for economics and government. “I credit her with my final landing in NYC as she was the person who initially encouraged me to apply to the NYC Program,” Zupan said.
During her semester in the New York Program under director Professor Derek Jones, who solidified her interest in economics, Zupan interned with Weinstein Carnegie. “It appealed to me for two reasons: the fact that this company focuses on non-profit work seemed to be a great fit for me,” she said. “I was also drawn to the company because of its size —
Major: Economics
Hometown: Sherrill, N.Y.
High School: VVS High School
WCPG is an office of six individuals and I love that I created a relationship with each of my supervisors and co-workers. It was also a great internship experience because I felt that I was given tasks that required a decent amount of trust and responsibility.”
Now Zupan has started a job at Weinstein Carnegie as an associate on the sports philanthropy side. She worked on a recent benefit event at the U.S. Open for former tennis player James Blake’s foundation.
As she begins her career, Zupan traces her path right back to Hamilton for “being a welcoming and supportive community that allowed me to make the most of my time on the Hill.”
