The Department of Finance and Economics is pleased that several students attended the Curt Roberts “Step Up to the Plate” event held at PNC Park on April 15. Among the 12 IUP students selected to attend, six have declared majors in finance and/or economics.
This unique opportunity provided direct exposure to the business of professional baseball through interactions with Pittsburgh Pirates’ leadership and hiring managers. The program featured a facilitated panel discussion, a networking session, and a collaborative group exercise.
Reflecting on the experience, Emily Schumacher (BA, Economics/Honors with minor in applied statistics, minor in business administration, minor in finance, and minor in mathematics) said, “What I valued most was the interaction between not just the hiring managers, but with the other students as well. Despite competing for similar roles, we all supported each other by providing constructive criticism and encouragement. Additionally, the panelists provided invaluable career guidance, sharing their professional trajectories and offering advice that helped guide our networking efforts across different departments. To close out the event, we were given the chance to talk with staff from various departments to ask more about what they do and discuss career development opportunities.
“Another highlight was speaking with IUP alumnus Ed Hartman ’86 about his experience working with the Pirates, as well as his former and new perspective about watching baseball given his role as the executive vice president of business operations.”
Schumacher added, “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Joshua Castle for his contribution in organizing this annual event and for providing IUP students with such an impactful professional development opportunity.”
IUP students attending the 2026 Curt Roberts “Step Up to the Plate” event. Front row, left to right: Emily Schumacher, Alice de Oliveira Finisterra, Allison Johnson, Saniya Metcalf-Harris. Back row, left to right: Ed Hartman ’86, Micaela Jebitsch, Iya Nealy, Phenon Marion, Trevon Teribury, Sean Stewart.