Give back along the way

Siohan Schroth, '80
Business Management

“Originally I wanted to pursue a degree in social work and knew of Nazareth’s program in that field,” said Siobhan Schroth ‘80, Nazareth College business management graduate. From a family that placed a college education in high regard, Schroth joined Nazareth after earning an associate's degree at Monroe Community College and spending one year in the business world working in a female-led computer company. Inspired by the entrepreneurship that surrounded her, she dedicated herself to the pursuit of a business degree.

Schroth’s academic journey at Nazareth was quite involved. She found herself in need of several more credit hours for a business degree, and completing them was not easy. Schroth maintained a full academic schedule and worked two or three jobs, including employment in the Arts Center Box Office, to pay her tuition. Also president of the on-campus business and finance club, Schroth learned to manage her time wisely. To say she was busy was an understatement. Despite these challenges, Schroth was energized by her path, and with great motivation and determination, she forged ahead, knowing it was “right” for her.

Schroth credits Nazareth’s Career Services staff for connecting her with an internship in the finance department at Harris Corporation. She knew that potential employers who saw this position on her resume would recognize her commitment to her studies and the finance field, especially because it was unpaid. Never deterred by complicated circumstances, Schroth learned to navigate the ins and outs of her position on her own. No other women were employed in the department at that time, and she was often without guidance. Her experience at Harris created in her a passion for mentoring women who are navigating their own careers.

Schroth’s rich 38-year career in banking began with an on-campus interview with a Rochester-based regional bank, connected again through Nazareth’s Career Services center. This appointment was followed by a second interview with the bank’s CEO at the branch’s executive offices, and an offer for employment in the Corporate Banking Department was made to Schroth before she graduated. After two years, she made the decision to relocate to New York City, where she participated in a year-long training program at a major bank and subsequently worked there for 23 years. Through several bank mega-mergers, Schroth held senior level roles in “commercial and investment banking in C-suite strategic planning, client, credit, regulatory and risk management…" She has led commercial banking teams in their management of public and privately held mid-cap corporate clients, including private equity portfolio companies. In 2005, Schroth was recruited by another major bank to build out its brand in metropolitan New York and was the Executive for LEAD for Women to recruit and develop women and others with diverse backgrounds throughout the enterprise. Schroth’s final role was leading the recruitment and development of talent for another global bank, elevating its commercial brand in the United States.

No longer a full-time banker, Schroth next seeks to serve on corporate boards as a "qualified financial expert, committed to advancing an inclusive and transparent culture bringing critical thought leadership in transformational operating environments.” Schroth said that opportunities to serve in this capacity would be “particularly meaningful, having navigated my banking career as a senior level executive and a woman in what was then a male-dominated industry, and as a mother and now as a grandmother!”

Through the years, Schroth has stayed current with the happenings of Nazareth College and the School of Business and Leadership even since moving to the New York City area.

When asked for advice to share with current and prospective School of Business and Leadership students, she said that internships are most helpful in establishing a career plan. Bigger than the impact of internships on a career, though, Schroth advised that “a successful career includes the opportunity to give back along the way, particularly as a diversity and inclusion champion, to give others a voice and 'a seat at the table.' ”

Looking ahead to the next phase of her career, Schroth vows to be “a committed advocate and mentor to young professionals, aspiring entrepreneurs, and students as we build the pipeline of high potential and diverse talent at all organizational levels and in our communities — and to bring this perspective to collaborate with companies using innovative and critical thought governance through board service.”