As seniors Casey Smith, Caitlin Dean, Tanner Shanley, and Chloe Forte prepare to leave King Street, they look forward to continuing their academic careers in business-related fields next year. These seniors are eager to pursue studies in business, economics, and political economy at their respective universities. Over the past four years, each student developed an interest in how financial systems and decision-making shape both businesses and everyday life. Through coursework and experiences at Sacred Heart Greenwich, those interests became more defined as they began to shape their plans for college.
Caitlin, who will attend the University of Miami, took an interest in political economy with a focus on how economics connects to government and policy. The Advanced Placement (AP) Macroeconomics course this year introduced her to the foundations of economic systems. She explained how this experience led to a deeper interest in how they operate.
“I decided to study political economy because I am interested in understanding how markets, government policy, and financial systems shape people’s lives,” Caitlin said. “Taking AP Macroeconomics gave me a strong foundation in economic concepts and inspired me to learn more about economics and markets.”
Tanner takes a similar interest in understanding economic systems’ broader impact in society. She plans to study economics at Georgetown University in the fall. Her academic experience at Sacred Heart led her to a focus on how financial decisions affect both individuals and larger economies. Outside the classroom, Tanner’s involvement in the Heart Investment Club and her role as head of the Women in Finance Club gave her opportunities to explore these ideas in a more applied setting. A finance externship added another layer of experience, connecting what she learned in class to real-world environments. Tanner shared what draws her to an economics major.
“I decided to study economics because I’m interested in how money, businesses, and markets work,” Tanner said. “I like understanding how financial decisions affect people and the economy, and economics gives me the skills to analyze those decisions.”
Chloe, who will attend Bucknell University, is also planning to study economics. Through advanced coursework and an externship related to business, Chloe developed analytical skills and gained a clearer understanding of how these concepts extend beyond the classroom. Chloe commented on her growing interest in this field.
“I chose to study economics because I’m interested in understanding how financial systems and decision-making impact businesses and everyday life,” Chloe said. “Sacred Heart has prepared me well through advanced courses that strengthened my analytical skills, and I also completed an externship related to business. These opportunities gave me real-world exposure and helped me connect classroom concepts to practical situations.”
At Sacred Heart, the students’ interests developed alongside experiences that emphasized collaboration and communication, particularly in academic settings that required both independent thinking and group work. Over time, these experiences contributed to a stronger understanding of how business concepts apply beyond the classroom. Casey, who will attend Boston College, commented on her interest understanding how organizations function and grow over time.
“I decided to study business because I’m interested in how companies operate and grow,” Casey said. “I like the combination of problem-solving, leadership, and real-world application that business offers, and I’m excited about the variety of career paths it can lead to.”
Across these four students, experiences at Sacred Heart played a consistent role in shaping their interests. Courses such as AP Macroeconomics introduced key ideas, while clubs, leadership roles, and externships provided opportunities to apply those ideas in different contexts. These experiences contributed to a stronger understanding of how business and economic systems operate outside of the classroom. Although their specific areas of study differ, their interests overlap, focusing on how systems function and how decisions affect people on a larger scale.
Business, economics, and political economy offer different ways of approaching those questions, but each provide a framework for understanding the same basic concepts. This fall, Caitlin, Tanner, Chloe, and Casey will continue studying these fields in new academic settings, building on the interests they developed during their time at Sacred Heart. Caitlin shared the values and lessons that Sacred Heart has instilled in her that she will carry forward into college.
“I am so grateful for Mr. Badagliacca’s teaching and thoughtfulness in class, and he’s inspired me to love learning about economics and markets,” Caitlin said. “I’ve also been encouraged at Sacred Heart to take risks, and especially in finance where the job market is challenging, I am excited to learn and grow in college and explore my academic interests.”
Featured Image by Catherine Ononye ’27
