Samuel Coates ’22, M’23, a 3+1 business analytics and managerial economics major, has made a name for himself at the University of Hartford and beyond. After successful completion of the CVS Health Learning Project, he obtained an internship with PayFlex where he put his knowledge to the test in a real-world setting.
Focusing on his academics is essential, but he also makes time for other activities. Specifically, UHart’s STRIDE peer mentoring helped give Coates the confidence necessary to take on the many challenges he had as an incoming student. Through this connection, he was eventually advised to join the Barney Leadership Council, where he shared similar academic goals with his peers. Now, he gives back by teaching current freshman smart goals that will pave the way for a successful college experience.
Experiential Learning
Coates described the opportunities that the Barney School made accessible to him through his consistent work ethic. He was invited to sit on the Interview Committee for the selection of the new Dean, and was invited to the president of the University’s legislative breakfast alongside Connecticut legislators.
During the spring of 2021, Coates had such great success working on the CVS Health Learning Project that he was selected to intern with them as a business product analyst for PayFlex. In this position, he was tasked with developing innovative ways to complete company assignments. He explains, “This was a positive experience because it allowed me to take what I had learned at UHart and apply it to how I conducted analysis for various FSAs, HSAs, patient financing, and competitor intel—all of which required me to provide a substantial contribution to team meetings.”
How did this experience assist Coates for his future career? “I now have the experience of performing different tasks in a corporate setting, working in teams, and knowing how to proceed and tackle tasks given the skillset and new experiences I had during this internship,” he says.
Coates highlights the advantage of attending a school with such small class sizes. “I like how easy it is to get connected with others in Barney and the University.” He looks back on his time here and credits his enriched college experience to getting connected through clubs and organizations. He encourages students to do the same in order to kickstart their career.
Post-Graduation
Coates has had a desire to fly planes from a young age. This passion transformed into a desire to become the CEO of his own airline company one day. “I plan to explore the aviation or aerospace industry as an analyst who can successfully contribute to the development and understanding of these industries.”
Samuel Coates ’22, M’23, Barney School of BusinessThis was a positive experience because it allowed me to take what I had learned at UHart and apply it to how I conducted analysis for various FSAs, HSAs, patient financing, and competitor intel—all of which required me to provide a substantial contribution to team meetings. What I learned from this experience is that the skills provided by the University serve as tools to then think outside of the box when being applied in a corporate setting.