Jake O'Connor '27 - Arrow Security & Training

Building a Future by the Numbers

Jake O’Connor ’27 doesn’t just enjoy working with numbers: he sees them as the blueprint behind every successful business decision. A Rivier University student and Raiders baseball player, he says his decision to pursue a Finance major began in high school.

“Numbers as a whole interest me,” he says. “But what really jump-started my curiosity in a financial career was a teacher who told me that finance and accounting are the foundation of the business world. If you can understand the principles of those fields, you can understand business.”

Applying his financial coursework at Rivier to real-world settings, O’Connor interns at Arrow Security & Training, LLC, a small business contracting company based in Nashua that serves government and military organizations. Working a few days a week, he splits his time between independent tasks and team collaboration. In meetings, the team discusses everything from contracts and budgets to price ranges and contract structure to ensure profitability.

“My primary responsibility is handling payroll, making sure that what employees contribute from their paychecks is accurately matched by the company and properly documented,” O’Connor says. “My role is to ensure we have everything on file to be fully compliant with the government. It’s given me a strong foundation in government contracting and a clear understanding of how processes flow throughout business.”

Through his internship, O’Connor has gained insight into both the technical and strategic sides of financial operations. Looking ahead, he aspires to become a Certified Public Accountant or financial advisor. Ultimately, he hopes to step into a senior financial leadership role, such as Chief Financial Officer, where he can guide high-level decision-making for a small company.

But for O’Connor, success in finance goes beyond balance sheets.

“Finance isn’t just about calculations; it’s about building trust, empowering people with knowledge, and making them feel confident about their future,” he says. “It puts a smile on my face thinking about helping someone understand how much they’re earning, where their money is going, and how they can grow it over time. A career advising people with their finances would be incredibly rewarding.”

O’Connor credits the lessons he’s learned in the classroom with directly informing him of his work in the office, deepening his understanding of finance and the strategic processes that keep a business running effectively. Guiding others toward financial stability with that knowledge gives his work greater purpose and amplifies his impact going forward.