When Caitlin Zungoli was in sixth grade, she organized a fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Katrina, asking her classmates to contribute their leftover lunch money or allowance to help others in need. Her grassroots effort raised over $1,000 for the cause, partially matched by her father’s company.
Service is important to Caitlin who jumps at the chance to take part in charitable activities organized by her employer, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R), a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison Inc. Since 2018, she has worked as an analyst in the Financial Planning and Analysis department. “I am lucky that my company offers many unique volunteer opportunities within the local community, such as laying wreaths on soldiers’ graves at West Point during the holidays, contributing to local gardens, and cleaning parks,” she says.
While Caitlin wishes she had more time for volunteering—she works full time by day and is pursuing an MBA at New York University at night—she always has time for her alma mater. “St. Thomas Aquinas College gave me so much, starting with my acceptance letter and scholarship,” she says. “I will give the school as much time and talent as I can so that other students can have the same exceptional experiences I did without going into debt.”
True to her word, Caitlin enthusiastically serves on STAC’s Alumni Board of Directors and has come up with ideas for two important projects. “The first was a Habitat for Humanity build in Bergen County for alumni to help with the construction of homes for veterans,” she says. “The second was a guest bartender event through which eight alumni raised about $2,000 in just four hours to support students and the school.”
During her college years, Caitlin studied abroad at The University of Oxford through the honors program and got real-world experiences through three internships. She built confidence, thanks to supportive mentors, including Dr. Meghan Mihal: “My first academic advisement session with her was pivotal,” she recalls. “She guided me throughout my entire college career, even from my first decision to pursue a math minor while completing a finance major. I admire her dedication to the success of both the school and its students.”
Caitlin also served as president of the STAC Business Club where together with her team they placed both times in the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) Case Study Competition. She was also on the team that placed first in the Entrepreneurial Business Plan Competition.
Now an analyst, Caitlin tracks the utility company’s operations and maintenance budget. She also performs a reporting function as part of the organization’s emergency storm response efforts. Beyond her day-to-day responsibilities, she is her department’s self-proclaimed “team builder.”
“Nothing works better when it comes to building a team than a quick lunchtime round of Jeopardy,” she says, adding that she and her colleagues play about once a week. “The weekly ritual grew into an office tradition after my mom gave me a daily calendar featuring the game.”
Caitlin looks forward to an upcoming study abroad trip to Copenhagen where she’ll learn about regenerative sustainability, impact investing, and sustainable business goals. “I plan to specialize in business analytics, law and business, and sustainability through my MBA program,” she says. “With that, I aspire to work for ConEdison’s Financial Integrity Group because financial fraud and risk assessment are areas that interest me.”