Ethan Sutton, '17

Major: Economics & Management and Mathematics
Residence: Detroit, Mich.
Career: Performance Improvement, Ernst & Young

In a nutshell, what do you do?

I work on one of the Data and Analytics (DnA) teams that sits under EY's Performance Improvement group. Our teams help companies leverage all the data they are now producing to help them identify areas of weakness, unrecognized opportunities for improvement, and forecast for the future. Our work is being applied across all facets of business, from finance departments to supply chain operations, with lots of new opportunities on the horizon.

Why do you love what you do?

No two days on the job are ever the same. Some days are spent doing very technical work, interacting with the data and doing the necessary analysis to draw conclusions and drive improvement for the client. Other days are spent presenting and explaining our work and giving us the chance to interact with people instead of numbers. It's an exciting field that is constantly evolving which requires me to consistently be learning new things and adapting to change, which I really enjoy.

How did Albion help you get there?

Albion not only provided me the opportunity and resources to learn, but also the connections to meet people working in the fields I was interested in. Connections with alumni helped land me my internship at EY that led to my full time job after graduation. The support from the other students and faculty at Albion pushed me to be the best student I could be and also gave me the opportunity to experience learning off campus in places like New York City, Chicago, and Las Vegas!

What did you like most about Albion?

The close relationship I was able to develop with professor was one of my favorite aspects of going to school at Albion. You can visit their offices and not only get advice on how to finish the homework, but also about finding a job, networking, and other tidbits of life advice you wouldn't get from a professor at a big school. I also loved the feeling of community at Albion that comes with the friendly, small campus atmosphere that you can't get anywhere else.

For me, Albion ...

... was the place where I could make lifelong friends while also gaining deeper knowledge I never thought I would have. It helped me decide what kind of person I wanted to be as I got older and then allowed me to work towards becoming that person. I have great memories of my time at Albion and wouldn't trade my time on campus for anything. I look forward to the future where I can reach out to Albion College students and help them in the countless ways that the college and its alumni helped me while I was a student.