5 Under 5: Katherine Caminero ’15

Our Five Under Five column features a Q&A with a Whitman School alumna who graduated within the last five years. For this issue, meet Katherine Caminero ’15, a native of Dix Hills, New York, who dual majored in finance at the Whitman School and public relations at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Today, Caminero serves as chief of staff to the global head of human resources for the Americas and global wealth management at UBS. Previously, she was chief of staff to the global head of the integrated middle office financial controlling function. A long-distance runner, Caminero has a goal of completing a half-marathon in every state. She credits her mother for helping give her the confidence to pursue opportunities and achieve the success she has had in life.

WHAT FACTORED INTO YOUR DECISION TO CHOOSE THE WHITMAN SCHOOL?

When I was thinking about where I wanted to go for college, I knew that I wanted to be in an environment where I could thrive both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. I knew from visiting Syracuse University and sitting in on one of the classes that Whitman would provide me with the opportunities to be challenged inside of the classroom as well as a network of individuals (students and professors) with similar ambitions on the outside.

HOW DO YOU FEEL THE WHITMAN SCHOOL PREPARED YOU FOR CAREER SUCCESS?

Not only did Whitman help develop my skills in finance and business in general, Whitman also helped me develop my emotional intelligence, which is very important in business today and will be an even more important skill to have in the future.

ARE THERE EXPERIENCES AT THE WHITMAN SCHOOL THAT YOU DRAW FROM IN YOUR CAREER?

The courses and structure of the curriculum at Whitman helped me apply what I learned in the classroom to real-life business problems. The Capstone course especially helped me understand how to create and maintain a business, while at the same time helped me improve my presentation and pitching abilities to clients—invaluable skills that I use regularly in my role.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A SYRACUSE ALUMNA?

There is a great sense of pride and so many connections that come with being a Syracuse alumna. Luckily, New York City (and most big cities) has a large and strong alumni presence. There are several alumni working at UBS with whom I’ve connected. If you live in or travel to a big city, you should expect to run into other Syracuse alumni. It is true that ’Cuse is everywhere, and we all bleed Orange.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THIS YEAR'S FIRST-YEAR CLASS?

Work hard. Your undergraduate years play a huge role in shaping your career and your future. It’s so important to get good grades, be involved in clubs and leadership opportunities and, most importantly, network.