Student Profile: Kristen Collins ’09

Junior benefits from Bryant’s unique blend of business and the liberal arts at Bryant.

Growing up, Kristen Collins ’09 (Huntington Station, NY) was exposed to the business world by her father at an early age.

“When I came to Bryant I loved number crunching and the creative side of things so I figured why not put the two together,” she says.

Collins, a double concentrator in finance and marketing, as well as a double minor in economics and communication, believes that Bryant’s blend of business and liberal arts will provide her a well-rounded background.

“When I go into the ‘real world’ I will be able to bring a variety of skills from my education that will help me stand out,” she says.

As a member of Bryant’s Honors program, she is able to delve into subject matter with faculty who are experts in their fields and with students who share the same work ethic.

“The Honors Program provides you with smaller classes, deeper discussions, and you develop one-on-one relationships with faculty members who specialize in your interests,” she says.

Looking back, Collins says Bryant was her first choice from the very beginning.

“When I came to campus, I knew I had found my home away from home,” she says.

She decided that Bryant would be the best place to combine classroom knowledge and hands-on experience that would help differentiate her to potential employers. She completed a marketing internship with IMAGEidentity, a brand development firm, in North Attleboro, MA, which was founded by Dave Lubelczyk ’92.

She has also had the chance to work in the C.V Starr Financial Markets Center, a simulated trading room with real-time market data and be part of the Archway Investment Fund, which allows students to invest real money in the stock market.

“I am able to gain hands-on experience, have responsibility for my decisions, and learn how to invest money,” she says.

Collins says she has been able to personalize her experience at Bryant by choosing courses that she is interested in and getting to know her professors.

“It is a unique thing to say that I have great relationships with professors who I can go to during office hours,” she says. “I even have some of their home phone numbers. It really does help build a personal feel in the classroom.”

This close-knit community, which Collins describes as Bryant’s greatest strength, also allowed her to easily integrate into campus life.

“By having a small campus, students can get involved right away in activities and make a name for themselves,” she says. “There was never a sense of being overwhelmed. You start meeting people and getting involved from day one.”

She has served as an orientation leader, and last year, she helped start Colleges Against Cancer. She became interested in this cause when she participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser in high school. Since her first year at Bryant, Collins has continued her involvement in Bryant’s Relay for Life, and she will be part of this year’s event, which will take place April 18-19.

“Bryant has provided me with endless opportunities,” says Collins. “This school has given me all I could have ever asked for.”