Forging a Path in the Business World

Stefano Billis, BS ’26, calls coming to Saint Joseph’s University the happiest accident of his life. 

Though he was adamant about leaving Pennsylvania for college, he decided to do some more research about St. Joe’s after members of his family kept bringing up the school. When he stumbled upon the food marketing program, he knew he needed to take a closer look. 

“I already had experience in the food industry, and I saw I could be in a program that valued that experience and could help me build on it and develop it further,” Billis says. “I went to an open house, shadowed a student and went to an Admitted Student Day, and I remember when I got back into my car in the Hagan Arena parking lot, I looked at my parents and said that this was the place I wanted to be. I got out of the car, ran back inside and told them I wanted to put my deposit down.” 

Billis began as a food marketing student and found himself in a marketing research class after the first of his two co-ops, this one with Dollar Tree. He quickly fell in love with the field. 

“I was not a numbers guy coming into college, but I knew if I wanted to develop my skill set, I was going to have to do some type of double major involving numbers,” he says. 

With the encouragement of professors, he dove headfirst into the world of Business Intelligence and Analytics, taking a double major plus a certificate in sales. 

When it came time for his second co-op, an opportunity at the intersection of his interests came about through the Academy of Food Marketing board. 

“One of the members on the board wanted to give back to students, so the company he works for, Circana, which is a powerhouse in the market research and consumer behavior industries, offered a co-op for the first time,” Billis says. “I found my passion for consulting on the client side, and I was able to do some data analytics projects and present to client managers on a slew of different topics.” 

The team at Circana offered Billis part-time work at the conclusion of his co-op, and beginning after his graduation in May, he will become a senior analyst for client sales.

“I would not be where I am today without St. Joe’s,” Billis says. “I’ve had so much assistance across campus, whether it be from faculty mentorship, the co-op program, or the friends I’ve made along the way. It’s that idea of cura personalis — not holding you back, allowing you to find your full self in the classroom, treating you like a person instead of a number.” 

Billis has also dedicated himself to helping incoming classes of business students find their footing on campus. 

“What makes Stefano a truly standout Hawk is the way he pairs strong academic and professional success with a genuine commitment to helping others,” says Matthew T. Kelly, MBA, the associate dean of undergraduate programs for the Haub School of Business. “He has gone out of his way to support fellow students by sharing insights from his co-op experience, offering advice on classes, and serving as a steady, approachable mentor. Within the Haub Ambassador program, Stefano has been a key leader in shaping it into something far more impactful than its initial launch, helping create admissions experiences that truly distinguish Haub from competing universities. His presence has helped build a more connected and supportive food marketing community, and his impact extends well beyond his own accomplishments.” 

Billis hopes that students continue to take advantage of the unique opportunities at St. Joe’s. 

“St. Joe’s provides such a great environment of encouragement, passion and success,” he says. “I give all glory to God, but the people at St. Joe’s have never stopped pushing me to be better.”