Commencement 2021 profile: James Sorrentino

As James Sorrentino prepares to graduate from Binghamton University’s School of Management (SOM), he’s been taking the time to reflect on the faculty, staff, alumni and fellow students who have helped him along the way.

“I would say that their mentorship and the time they gave to me was one of the most impactful aspects of my education,” he said.

As a senior business administration major concentrating in finance, Sorrentino has transitioned into the role of a mentor himself, hoping to give back to the SOM community that has given so much to him. A member of numerous student organizations, including the Finance Society, Binghamton Investment Fund and Dean’s Mentoring Program, it was the promise of getting heavily involved that sold the Oyster Bay native on SOM in the first place.

“I attended an accepted student event in New York City where they talked about how SOM was very focused on hands-on, tangible learning experiences,” he said. “They explained their focus on internships and career placement and résumé building through professional development experiences and case competitions. It sounded like everything I was looking for.”

Jumping right in and joining student organizations shortly after arriving at Binghamton, Sorrentino was surprised at how much help SOM upperclassmen provided him, and how much he had to learn from them. Much of this happened informally in SOM’s Zurack Trading Room, where students are able to manage a portfolio worth nearly a half million dollars on Bloomberg Terminals.

“I would spend a lot of time with upperclassman in between classes there. I was able to ask for advice on upcoming presentations or for help with homework, or just listen in on some of the finance conversations they were having,” he said. “The Zurack Trading Room is a space that encourages these kinds of learning experiences that you wouldn’t get from a classroom.”

Establishing himself in a network of finance students and alumni, Sorrentino was able to make connections and gain knowledge from those who had real-world experience. One such connection helped Sorrentino on his path to landing a job. Making it to the final round of the Finance Society’s Mergers and Acquisitions Case Competition during his first year, Sorrentino was able to present to a group of professionals and alumni that included Rick Piket ’16, currently an investment banking associate with Citi.

“We ended up talking quite a bit after meeting at that case competition, and he became a mentor. He helped me with interview prep, which helped me land an internship at Citi during my junior year,” said Sorrentino.

He recently accepted a job offer at Citi for after graduation and will soon be working alongside Piket.

“I went from being judged by him in a case competition to now becoming his co-worker. Rick is emblematic of the type of alumni that SOM produces. They stay in touch with the school and continue to offer advice and help to students,” he said.

Working his way up in the student organizations and groups he’s involved in, Sorrentino now relishes being a mentor to others.

“I was always appreciative of how much time my mentors gave me, and I’ve tried to model my own mentorship on that,” he said. “I try to give as much time as I possibly can to my mentees. I want to make sure that they have the same kind of experience I had when I was in their shoes.”

While COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions have created challenges to traditional networking, Sorrentino said he’s only noticed an increase in ambition from current SOM students as the school continues to grow in reputation.

“They ask a lot of the same questions I was asking my mentors, but I’ve noticed that the students get a little more competitive with each passing year. They are going up against students from Ivy League schools for prestigious internships, and they want to perform at the top of their game,” he said. “They are prepared to take on more complex and more technical challenges in the world of finance.”

In recognition of the impact he’s made in the School of Management, Sorrentino was named one of the 2021 SOM Seniors of the Year alongside fellow student Rene Vorilas. Sorrentino was also featured by Poets&Quants on their annual “100 Best & Brightest Business Majors” list. In his nomination for the Poets&Quants recognition, SOM Associate Dean George Bobinski described Sorrentino as a model SOM student.

“James has exemplified the excellence that Binghamton stands for. He is very bright, hard-working, goal-oriented and believes in giving back to others. James has performed at the highest level both academically and outside the classroom,” Bobinski said. “He recognizes that he has benefited from his mentors and fellow students and actively seeks out opportunities to give back to the School of Management community.”

When asked if he plans to continue to stay involved with SOM as an alumnus, Sorrentino answered with “Yes, 100%.”

“I think alumni involvement is essential to the School of Management. Alumni have really helped advance the school, and I look forward to being a part of that.”