Student Success Stories

Empowering You to be Your Best

The Gabelli School of Business Professional M.B.A. provides the knowledge, skills, and confidence to take your career to the next level. Learn to think strategically, influence across organizations, build the competitive advantage, and identify the career path that best suits your talents and your needs. Our students leverage what they learn in class directly on the job, helping their companies and themselves to move forward in new and innovative ways.

Sébastien Ziankibé (FPCS ‘23)

AVP - Senior Internal Auditor Global Market Risk, Citi

A graduate of Fordham University's School of Professional and Continuing Studies, Sébastien Ziankibé built his knowledge and experience in internal auditing at UBS. While he was successful, he knew he needed to strengthen his business acumen and hands-on skills to pivot towards a career in finance—something he’d always wanted to do. Gaining visibility in the business world, especially in New York City’s financial sector, was key to achieving his long-term goals but, as a native French speaker from Chad, he was concerned about his accent and the language barrier. While he knew earning an M.B.A. and working full-time would be challenging, he felt confident that the Gabelli School PMBA program would provide the support he needed. “One of the challenges I identified was my public speaking and presentation skills, which I knew I needed improvement,” he noted. “During my time in this program I’ve learned how to communicate clearly and deliver effective presentations in addition to enhancing my technical knowledge in the areas of business and finance.” The program’s flexibility allowed Ziankibé to balance the demands of a full-time job while taking evening and weekend intensive classes to complete his degree in 18 months. By focusing on building his knowledge and improving his language skills, he gained the confidence to pursue a new professional role while positioning himself in a highly competitive job market. He recently secured a new role as assistant vice president, senior internal auditor for Citi’s Global Market Risk division.

Amanda D’Antone (GABELLI ’19)

Global Sustainability Specialist, Tiffany & Co.

Having earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from the Gabelli School in 2019, Amanda D’Antone considered furthering her business education with an M.B.A. as she sought to focus her career path in the area of sustainability. In addition to the ability to focus in this emerging specialty, the School’s Professional M.B.A. (PMBA) provided the flexibility through

hybrid course delivery and weekend intensive classes to balance her personal and professional commitments while earning her degree. The program’s global immersion opportunities also provided a chance for her to expand her horizons. She enrolled in 2023 and greatly enjoyed the learning experience, noting “The PMBA program has given me the confidence to make a career switch. Pursuing a degree with a focus on sustainability has made me feel more credible in my new role as a global sustainability specialist at Tiffany & Co. The leadership and communication courses boosted my ability to articulate my skills and ideas. There also is a sense of community, which helps you reframe your own career goals by learning from everyone else.”

D’Antone also took advantage of the PMBA’s global immersion course, traveling to Milan to gain a fresh perspective on sustainability and global business practices. The one-week international experience aligned with a gap between jobs and provided invaluable insight into the ways in which European companies address sustainability challenges. Her PMBA experience also reaffirmed her passion for education, inspired by professors with real-world experience, her interest has been sparked to possibly serve as an adjunct professor in the future. This ambition, as well as her role as a Responsible Business Center fellow, aligns with her long-term goal of contributing to academia while continuing to grow professionally in the area of sustainable business.

Nic Casaula

Sales and Marketing Business Specialist, Rotation Program, Intel

After his career touring with Broadway productions was abruptly cut short in March 2020 due to the pandemic, Nic Casaula took the opportunity to reevaluate his future prospects and decided he wanted to explore new career opportunities. He took on a management role in a fitness company that gave him the

opportunity to develop business skills in management and sales, but ultimately decided to pursue an M.B.A. to prepare him for a full transition into the business world. The Gabelli School’s Professional M.B.A. (PMBA) provided the flexibility and support he needed after being out of school for some time.

“Despite a background in the arts, I quickly adapted to the rigorous coursework at the Gabelli School, especially the analytics. I gained confidence in my ability to analyze data and present insights, and the training the PMBA provided in SPSS, Tableau, and Excel helped me to succeed in my internship with Push Press—a fitness SaaS company.” Through a graduate assistantship that helped to defray the cost of his degree, Casaula further honed his leader- ship skills. Two incredible global immersion trips to Milan and Barcelona gave him invaluable firsthand experience in cross-cultural communication and collaboration.

Recently named the James and Dolores Fernandez Endowed Scholarship recipient, Casaula is applying his knowledge to his current role at Intel, where he is part of their sales, marketing, and communications rotational program. His long-term goal is to eventually return to the arts to support other artists through producing and working on the business side of the industry.