Major: English Position: Communications Adviser to the CEO, J.P. Morgan & Company

Kate Cadette '93

Kate Cadette parlayed a humanities-based education at a small liberal arts college into success at a giant in the financial services industry.

When Kate first started at J. P. Morgan, as editor of the company’s internal magazine, she "didn’t know a stock from a bond." What she brought to the company, and what was valued by her employer, was a set of skills that would enable her to meet the challenges that the work presented, including the task of learning enough about financial topics to explain them effectively in writing to others.

In her current position, Kate works directly with Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Douglas A. "Sandy" Warner III, using her communications expertise to help the corporate leader "craft distinctive messages" for each specific audience he is addressing. Versatility is a must. In speeches, letters, e-mails, and other publications directed to clients, employees, other business leaders, and even heads of state, Kate is called upon to produce clear and concise communications that get the message across.

Kate believes that her academic work, especially in the interdisciplinary Guided Studies Program, helped develop her critical thinking and writing skills. "With the liberal arts background, you learn to think in a process," she says. "I got a great foundation in how to put words together." Kate also believes that she benefited greatly from the high expectations combined with good guidance on the part of her professors. Kate says, "Early on in my experience at Trinity I expressed an interest in writing. I was immediately encouraged to develop this skill. It was noticed, and it was followed up." Thanks to the prodding of James J. Goodwin Professor of English Milla Riggio, someone Kate still considers to be a profound influence, she began tutoring students at Trinity’s Writing Center. The experience gave her a sense of responsibility as well as an opportunity to practice and hone her craft.

Kate also speaks highly about one of the College’s most vital traditions: Trinity students are encouraged and expected to share their thoughts. "My classes often took the form of conversations during which we were led to discover the knowledge for ourselves," she says. "Professors respected what we had to say in a way that helped us to mature our ideas."

In the supportive and close-knit Trinity environment, she observes, students gain a confidence they carry with them into situations that might otherwise prove intimidating. "I think that because professors at Trinity are for the most part so accessible, they foster a sense of confidence in students," she says. "I felt encouraged to ask for advice and work out problems with them, and I think that experience gave me the confidence to tackle issues with senior people at Morgan."