We're excited to connect with our alumni through our new Darlington Connects series. Today we hear from Anna Shea (’11, LD ’19) and Lucas Jennings (’11), classmates who are both working for the major bank, Capital One.
Let’s rewind to the 2010-2011 school year. Amidst the multitude of impressive Darlington students, two members of the Class of 2011, Anna Shea and Lucas Jennings, were leading the pack. Both served as leaders in the classroom, in extracurricular activities, and, more specifically, they served as captains of their respective athletic pursuits. From cross country, to basketball, to wrestling, to soccer, these two guided their peers both on, and off, the court/field/trail/mat. Both alums were top students, active volunteers, and model citizens in the community. While their Darlington accolades were congruent, a decade later, these impressive young alums’ professional pursuits happen to align, as well.
Anna graduated from Furman University in 2015, and her first job post-graduation was in the realm of investment banking. Anna worked in investment banking for a few years before pivoting to work as a consultant - specifically management consulting, with the bulk of her clients being healthcare systems.
Lucas graduated from the University of Maryland in 2015. A computer expert since his youth, combined with his variety of internships through the years, Lucas started full-time work as a software consultant after graduation. This led to a different role as a consultant focusing on intelligent automation, the bulk of his clients being Fortune 500 companies.
Recently, for both Anna and Lucas, opportunities presented themselves with one of the largest banks in the country: Capital One. Anna and Lucas successfully pursued, and secured, positions within the Risk Management umbrella at Capital One. Lucas works at the McClean, Virginia headquarters and Anna works at the bank’s founding location in Richmond, Virginia. Lucas’ role as a Product Manager focuses on the “technology platforms of Capital One’s anti-money laundering efforts”, and Anna, as a Senior Associate in operational risk reporting, describes her work as “managing cross departmental risks and metric inventories.” While Lucas and Anna aren’t regularly collaborating on their respective projects, their work within the Risk Management wing of Capital One intersects.
In my recent chats with Lucas and Anna, they reflected on their time at Darlington as influential on their past, and current, professional successes. Lucas referenced the “sense of community at Darlington, that has helped him navigate large, corporate structures.” He also alluded to the “debate space” that his teachers encouraged as a foundation for his success, as such that his teachers “insisted that views were backed with supporting evidence.” Anna highlighted that Darlington provided “exposure to different people and learning to be open-minded”, which she described as paramount in her career.
Both Lucas and Anna are readily available to connect with fellow Darlington alums to discuss their professional journeys and offer advice, and we’re especially appreciative for their willingness to assist our Darlington Connects program. Nearly a decade after their tenure on campus concluded, we’re thrilled to hear of your continued leadership and we wish you both all the best in your pursuits!
Are you a Darlington alum (or do you know one) with a career or interest that is fascinating and unique? We'd love to spotlight you in a future blog! Please email connect@darlingtonschool.org if you are interested in being featured.
