Alan Shepard ’03

Alan Shepard ’03 was the featured speaker at the February 21 Ruth A. Miller Senior Business Seminar. Shepard is the chief financial officer of CNX Resources Corporation in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

“The class had the honor of having 2003 Thiel College graduate, Alan Shepard, as our guest speaker this evening. Alan is a local Jamestown native and is currently the CFO at CNX, a premier natural gas development company. He explained his journey from Thiel to his current position, including details of the highs and lows.” Damion Grinnell ’25

“In Alan Shepard’s own words, he went from ‘dirt roads to downtown Manhattan’. He started his journey at Jamestown School District, and when he graduated from there, he went to Thiel and began studying accounting. He did very well at Thiel and became an assistant to Professor Ligo. His hard work at Thiel paid off, as when he took the CPA exam, he scored in the top five highest scores in the state.” Alex Martin ’24

“He shared with the class that he did not plan on becoming an accountant when entering college. He believed that computers could handle all the work for companies, making it unbeneficial to pursue a career in the profession. However, as he studied the material, he developed a liking for the work accountants complete.” Jacara Green ’25

“His dedication to studying for the CPA exam paid off, as he achieved a top-five score, making him one of two Thiel alumni to do so that year, showcasing the quality of Thiel's accounting program.” Emma Hatfield ’25

“Upon graduation, he worked for the local accounting firm until his high CPA score impacted his life. When Shepard began working, the large accounting firms were looking for personnel to assist them with implementing the Sarbanes–Oxley Act. One of the recruiters gave Shepard a call, and he accepted a job with PricewaterhouseCoopers.” Abraham Hochstetler ’24

“He also suggested embracing new experiences and continuously learning to grow personally and professionally. Based on his own experiences, he stressed that staying persistent and being able to adapt are key to achieving success.” Yeryoung Kim ’24

“His career trajectory proves the importance of seizing opportunities, continuous learning, and adapting to industry dynamics.” Jackson Pletcher ’24

“Alan has built himself up in so many ways by hard work and determination. Every day he is always the first person in the office and gets his work done first thing in the morning.” Aidan Rispoli ’24

“One thing that Alan did in his career that I thought was very admirable was sell his home to move to Alabama and work there for two years, then move back to Pittsburgh. I think it is very fair to say that everyone has a start and some sort of end goal when it comes to their career, but we have no idea what the journey is in between for us. Alan was able to take a leap of faith and move his whole life across the country, and while doing so, he was able to gain so much from the experience that others would have been scared to do.” Taya Sykes ’24

“He ended by explaining that with the same education we are receiving, he was able to achieve so much. He ended by providing some important quotes that served him as life lessons. The one that stood out to me the most was ‘Help thyself, and God will help thee’ (Professor Miller). It’s important to help yourself, and others will come along to help you, but it must start from within.” Hailey McClain ’24

“Alan expressed his gratitude towards Thiel College along with his professors providing him with the opportunities and connections it did.” Julianne Slagle ’24

“Alan strangely enough knew my mother in high school, and I believe this ties in perfectly with the message Alan wanted to leave us with which was ‘Live in a big world, the next thing you learn, the next person you meet, might be all the difference.’” Isaac Sasala ’24

“I learned that trusting the process is very important and that if you are smart, work hard, and have a positive attitude, your opportunities are endless. I also learned that the more you help yourself, the more likely others are to help you. I thought this was a very interesting piece of advice, and I enjoyed being able to take this, apply it, and think of examples in my own life where this has actually worked!” Madi Yurich ’24

Lessons Learned

“Where you come from does not determine where you can go.” Emma Hatfield ’25
“Education and experience lay the foundation for success.” Yeryoung Kim ’24
“You are responsible for your own life and career.” Madi Yurich ’24
“Perseverance and adaptability are key to success, as the ability to cope with change and challenges is crucial.” Yeryoung Kim ’24
“Smart, hardworking, and positive attitude keeps you on the team; 2 out of 3 is risky.” Isaac Sasala ’24
“Professor David Miller once said, ‘There's always room for one more good one’” Jackson Pletcher ’24
“You can’t be a quiet person in a quiet room and expect to get anywhere.” George Tice ’24
“Chasing money is a distraction and leaving your current job should be based upon more than money.” Alex Martin ’24
“Make decisions based on long term goals rather than a short-term gain.” Julianne Slagle ’24
“Do your due diligence on where you plan on working especially if you are moving for the job.” Zach Bergstresser ’25
“’Wealth is the slave of a wise man and the master of a fool.’ -Seneca” Jackson Pletcher ’24
“Maybe you should hustle as hard as you hate.” Abigail Sefton ’25
“Don’t worry about what other people get paid or what they do, it all sorts itself out.” Nick DiLullo ’25
“Facts are easy, judgments are what you get paid for.” Madi Yurich ’24
“Have patience and be flexible.” Austin Siko ’24
“Be careful when writing emails or documenting something. It can come back to haunt you.” Abraham Hochstetler ’24
“Don’t document your own stupidity.” Jacara Green ’25
“Don’t be the boring person at lunch.” Hailey McClain ’24
“Creating boundaries and having a work life balance will always be one of the most important things in your life.” Taya Sykes ’24
“Spend time with family, as that matters more than any job.” Abraham Hochstetler ’24
“Never forget where you came from, where you are today is a reflection of where you once were.” Taya Sykes ’24
“Thiel can take you places.” Emma Hatfield ’25

Dinner “Dishing”

“I was fortunate to be the dinner concierge for this week’s event. AVI prepared an amazing stuffed pork tenderloin for the entrée and ended it perfectly with a chocolate ganache tart. We were accompanied by many great guests including Professor Ligo who did countless things for Thiel College during his time here.” Zach Bergstresser ’25
“Dinner itself was very good and I was very shocked to hear some of my table members had never had wedding soup.” Jackson Pletcher ’24

“This week for dinner, I sat with peers I had not interacted with all semester. We discussed my peer's senior thesis, which focuses on implementing an age cap for working in Congress, a concept we all found interesting and wish success for. During our conversation, we enjoyed the meal prepared by AVI and look forward to experiencing the rest of the meals the class will enjoy.” Jacara Green ’25