May 28, 2026<\/p>\n
Originally from Rockville<\/a>, MD, Carly Nu\u00f1ez entered St. John\u2019s University<\/a> prepared for a rigorous curriculum at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business<\/a>. Moving to New York City, however, proved to be a bigger challenge than she anticipated.<\/p>\n \u201cI usually like change, but I did not realize how big a change this would be,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n A first-year international management<\/a> major, Carly entered the University admittedly nervous. But away from home for the first time, she quickly realized that forming connections across the Queens<\/a>, NY, campus was one key to a successful transition from high school.<\/p>\n She made her first connection when she attended a meeting of Women on Wall Street<\/a>, a student organization focused on professional development and mentorship for women exploring business and finance careers. Carly discovered the group at the Fall Student Activities Fair<\/a> and began attending regular meetings and connecting with student leaders.<\/p>\n \u201cI could tell how successful they were,\u201d Carly said. \u201cI wanted to learn from them.\u201d<\/p>\n Later, as a member of the Thomas J. Cox Jr. Honors Program<\/a> at Tobin, she was invited to assist with workshops and serve as its first-year student representative. \u201cI was really nervous,\u201d Carly said. \u201cBut I like the school\u2019s community. People are always willing to help each other.\u201d<\/p>\n Carly says the Tobin faculty have made business topics feel accessible and relevant. She enjoys the emphasis on class discussion, which encourages students to participate and learn from one another. One course that stood out to her was a first-year economics class taught by Tracey L. Freiberg, Ph.D.<\/a>, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics and Finance<\/a>, and Associate Director of the Cox Honors Program.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can tell the professors genuinely care about teaching,\u201d she said. \u201cThey want students to understand the material.\u201d<\/p>\n As an international management major, Carly is part of a program that prepares students for leadership in a global business environment. Students gain a foundation in business while also learning about international markets. Experiential learning is supported through site visits and internships.<\/p>\n Students are also encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves. Carly says her First-Year Writing<\/a> course with Erin Lynn<\/a>, Assistant Professor, Department of Core Studies<\/a>, St. John\u2019s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences<\/a>, helped her grow from an inexperienced writer to one nominated by Ms. Lynn to speak at a first-year writing event.<\/p>\n \u201cThat gave me confidence,\u201d Carly said. \u201cShe saw something in me that I did not see in myself.\u201d<\/p>\n