LATROBE, PA – Elevated by two undergraduate degrees from Saint Vincent College, Katie Murphy, C’23, continues her pursuit of education and growth in her role as a client service associate at The Fiduciary Group.
The Plum native has always enjoyed mathematics and analytical thinking, which led her to initially choose finance as a college major due to the career opportunities and stability that the field offers. When exploring postsecondary education opportunities, the 2020 Plum Senior High School alumna was encouraged by Saint Vincent College’s 98% employment and graduate school placement rates. “It was reassuring to choose a school that had such strong outcomes and a proven track record of helping students secure jobs after graduation that could support financial stability,” Murphy said.
Starting out as a finance major and economics minor at the College, Murphy enrolled in a Principles of Microeconomics course—instructed by Dr. Zachary Davis, an associate professor of economics in the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government and Alex G. McKenna Endowed Chair in Economics—and was hooked. “I quickly realized it was something I wanted to pursue more deeply and switched to a second major,” Murphy said. “That course showed me that economics was the perfect challenge for me, sparking my curiosity and motivating me to continue learning.”
Murphy’s pursuit of knowledge was enhanced by a host of Saint Vincent offerings, including membership in the Finance and Accounting Club and Women in Business. Murphy also participated in the College’s Equestrian Club. Her career foundation was strengthened by internship opportunities while at Saint Vincent, including a hybrid role in summer 2022 with Federated Hermes in Pittsburgh. As an investment management intern, Murphy performed a wide range of analyses, attended weekly trading meetings and prepared reports. “I also assisted portfolio managers and analysts with projects that supported the investment decision-making process,” she said, “which gave me a strong understanding of investment management and portfolio strategy.”
One summer later, Murphy dove into another hybrid role, this time with PNC Bank in Philadelphia. As part of the bank’s Corporate & Institutional Banking - Capital Markets Summer Internship, Murphy analyzed market trends and monitored currency fluctuations using various financial data sources and research reports. She stayed up to date on regulatory changes, economic indicators, and geopolitical events impacting currency markets and observed the execution of spot, forward and option trades on behalf of clients to ensure timely and accurate transactions.
While the two summer internships helped Murphy lay the groundwork for a future career in finance and operations, several McKenna School professors at Saint Vincent left lasting impressions on the Bearcat alumna. Murphy enrolled in several classes with Dr. Nicholas Racculia, C’00, professor of finance and chair of the Finance and Accounting Department.
“The way his classes were structured truly helped set me up for success,” Murphy said. “I don’t think I would know nearly as much as I do today without his teaching. His classes were always engaging and fun, but the exams were very rigorous, which pushed us to truly learn and understand the material.”
She credits Racculia’s instruction, paired with his testing style, as key ingredients in Murphy passing the Series 65 exam, also known as the Uniform Investment Advisor Law Exam, administered by the North American Securities Administrators Association. The examination, which Murphy passed in late 2025, is for investment advisor representatives.
“Katie was a joy to have in class, and I’m grateful to know her and her wonderful husband. As a student, she was both highly intelligent and a hard worker,” Racculia said. “In addition to all her hard work, she helped keep the challenging upper division classes fun and engaging, even once talking me into having class at the Youngstown Grille. Like many of our alumni, I have the pleasure of staying in touch with her after graduation, and I'm truly delighted with her success.”
Dr. Gary Quinlivan, H’23, dean emeritus and professor emeritus of the McKenna School, also had a profound impact on Murphy’s education. “I intentionally chose to take courses with him because I knew he would push me to become a better student,” she said as she recalled the International Trade and Development course and International Finance. “I loved learning about the global economy and seeing how events in one country can ripple throughout the rest of the world. Those classes really shaped the way I view economic and global issues.”
The standout alumna recalls Davis’ microeconomics classes as being challenging in a fun and engaging way. “I loved learning about the economic reasoning behind people’s behavior and how there is usually a logical explanation for why things happen,” Murphy said. Davis’ classes sparked Murphy’s interest even more and ultimately led her to pursue a double major in finance and business economics.
“His classes helped me think more critically and analytically, which has been incredibly valuable in both my academic and professional journey,” Murphy said. “These are just a few of the professors who made a big impact on my experience at Saint Vincent College. There are many others who influenced my education and perspective, and I am truly grateful for all of them.”
In remembering Murphy’s time at the College, Davis described her as being the most positive and upbeat student he has ever instructed.
“Even when tackling difficult material, she approached the problems with curiosity,” he said. “Her sincerity and overall joyful approach to her studies and life in general was infectious, and every class she was in benefited from her presence.”
She graduated in December 2023 with Bachelor of Science degrees in business economics and finance (chartered financial analyst).
Murphy’s career path thus far includes work as an analyst in operations at Bank of New York Mellon Corporation and currently as a client service associate at The Fiduciary Group, where she supports advisors and clients with daily service needs, communication and various financial and administrative tasks.
“I enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and helping make sure everything runs smoothly while providing a great experience for our clients,” Murphy said. “I’m focused on personal growth and finding ways to improve efficiency so our firm can better serve our clients and continue to succeed.”
Eyeing the future, she hopes to continue growing in the wealth management field, expand her financial knowledge and become a stronger asset to her team. To achieve these goals, Murphy often taps into lessons learned at Saint Vincent College, including the realization that strong relationships make everything better.
“In both school and work, the people around us shape our motivation, mindset and success,” Murphy said. “When we take the time to connect and really engage with others, we create spaces where teamwork, creativity and growth naturally happen.”
