From FYIC to VP: FSB alumnae touts impact of First-Year Integrated Core
Now a vice president at J.P. Morgan, Haley Stelzer-Monohan was part of an early cohort in the First-Year Integrated Core at the Farmer School of Business.
From FYIC to VP: FSB alumnae touts impact of First-Year Integrated Core
Haley Stelzer-Monahan ’20 is a Farmer School of Business graduate and currently a Vice President at J.P. Morgan in Payments Corporate Development and Partnerships.
“What that means is I sit at the intersection of fintech innovation and bank-scale distribution, identifying emerging innovators, shaping long-term fintech strategy, and forging partnerships to expand JPMorgan Payments' ecosystem.” she said. “It is incredibly energizing being a part of the FinTech ecosystem at a time when technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace.”
But less than a decade ago, she was part of one of the early First-Year Integrated Core cohorts at the Farmer School of Business.
The FYIC is an eight-credit hour program comprising four classes required for all FSB students. In these classes, students spend the first 11 weeks of the semester building key skills that they’ll need for upper-division classes and that employers expect FSB graduates to have. They spend the last 5 weeks of the semester applying these skills within a client challenge where they work in consulting teams to create solutions to a problem presented by the client.
While the name implies that the program is for first-year students, it also extends to students such as Stelzer-Monahan, who didn’t come to Miami as a business student. “My freshman year, I wasn't in Farmer. I was a psychology major and originally thought I wanted to pursue neuroscience,” she said. “Once I got exposure to more coursework and saw what my peers were doing inside Farmer, I realized the business track is where I wanted to challenge myself and build a career, so I pivoted.”
And, she says, her success at Miami and in the working world is a result of things she learned in the FYIC.
“When I think about my career and the skills I use every day, I truly attribute much of my success to the foundation built in the FYIC,” Stelzer-Monahan said. “Our FYIC client challenge with Fifth Third Bank was the first time I applied strategy, communication, and structured problem solving to a real company – and that experience created the baseline muscle I still use in my work now.”
She returned to the Farmer School of Business last month to talk to current FYIC students about what she does and how the FYIC shaped her.
“It's really great to be back on campus, reconnect with the program, and appreciate its continued evolution,” Stelzer-Monahan said. “Hearing firsthand from students about their experience and how they’re applying these skills today has been a powerful reminder on how formative the FYIC is early on.”
She said one of the things that impressed her about the FYIC now and when she was a student is how many aspects she learned there come up on a daily basis.
“I don't think I fully appreciated that at the time, but now in my professional career, I clearly see how that foundation translates and how critical it is to long-term success,” Stelzer-Monahan said. “Business communication, audience awareness, and the ability to message effectively for influence and credibility are skills you focus on building in the First-Year Integrated Core, and they continue to compound throughout your career.”
Stelzer-Monahan explained that FYIC’s emphasis on communication skills directly supports one of the most important career capabilities long-term – advocating for yourself.
“It's important for young professionals, and even students, to learn how to advocate for themselves, because you are the one who ultimately steer your career. Nobody else is going to own your career for you,” she said. “You need to be able to clearly and effectively communicate the value you bring, articulate your wins, and show how your contributions differentiate you and drive impact within the organization.”
Her advice to students in the FYIC? Lean in.
“Leaning into the experience is the biggest piece of advice I would share. Get involved, participate fully, and take advantage of the experience and network the program brings into the room because that exposure and access can unlock opportunities later,” Stelzer-Monahan said. “Now, with several years of experience, I can see how foundational the FYIC truly is in building the skills that matter most in a professional environment.”
