LATROBE, PA —Time is a valuable commodity. Brianna Baum, C’12, graduated with a degree in accounting and a minor in finance, and she refuses to waste time, always shifting her pursuits and schedules to make better use of it. That kind of drive can be seen in her education at Saint Vincent College and in her career path.
In high school, Baum fell in love with math and wanted to become a teacher. However, she later decided to seek a career in accounting and finance. While enrolled at SVC, she took on multiple jobs and internships in addition to a full slate of classes. Some days, she'd arrive at work at 4 a.m. to ensure she could cram all her shifts and classes into a busy schedule. 
“After my four-hour shift on Tuesdays and Thursdays [at Lowe’s Home Improvement store], I would head to Saint Vincent for a full day of classes,” Baum said. “On the other days, I would change into my business attire in the Lowe’s bathroom and head to my tax internship for the next four hours at Deluzio & Company in Greensburg. I would finish my day with an eight-hour shift at the local Sheetz gas station.”
Her career trajectory took an unexpected turn when a tax internship led her to Online Stores Inc., marking her entrance into the world of technology. Baum next landed an on-campus internship with SAP, a global tech giant. Working as SAP’s project management intern in her senior year paved the way for a full-time position after graduation.
Over the first five years at SAP, Baum navigated various roles from customer-facing project management to a strategic move into internal positions. In 2021, she moved to operations and was promoted as head of learning enablement and communications.
Baum thanked SVC for granting her the connections and opportunities to push her into her current line of work, along with introducing her to her initial tax internship that shaped her future. “SVC provided me an opportunity that I am forever grateful for,” she said. “It opened my eyes to a world of tech that is more than your typical computer science major.”
When asked about some of the challenges in her career, Baum noted “constant change” as the largest hurdle.
“Amidst the fast-paced world, the ability to adapt to change is an invaluable asset,” she said. “Being in an influencing role, I have to quickly adapt to change and also be a [leader] and support my organization through the change.”
Baum also has a love for planning, graphics, and communications, and in her free time creates logos and brochures for local businesses. This past spring, she handled the graphics and communications for her son’s recreational baseball organization, creating sponsorships with local businesses to help fund the program.
Though her journey has not been easy, Baum has remained diligent throughout her life, always persevering, and making time even when there appeared to be none. With an alumnus as committed to her work and passions as her, we wish Brianna the best in her future endeavors, and we’re eager to see what passions she pursues next.
-Madison Kozera, English major, of Abingdon, MD
PHOTO: Briana Baum with instructor of business administration Robert Markley and former dean of the McKenna School Dr. Gary Quinlivan