Advising Module 4

1. Reflect
At this point, selecting a major/minor is pretty uncertain for me because I don't know what kind of career I want to have in the future. 

What are the experiences, information and opportunities you'd most like to get out of a major? I want to be able to be successful in whatever I do, so if I stick with the business major which I am leaning toward, then I want to be able to get experience in how to run a business and what it takes to own your own business. I want to be able to get an internship that would give me the experience, information and opportunity to see how a real business is started. I think I also need to learn communication skills in order to communicate with employees, or employers, and customers.

2. Research

"With a degree in business administration, your opportunities for success in the business world are countless. From marketing to accounting, finance to management, graduates have held top positions at many prestigious companies and firms. Our business administration graduates are attorneys, account executives, financial analysts, and sales group managers at companies like Accenture Foundation, Inc., Bank of America Corporation, Arthur Andersen LLP, Nestle Foods, and the Gap, Inc." Reading the accomplishments of many alumnae especially who graduating with business majors gives me the hope that I too will be successful with a business career because Saint Mary’s will prepare me to do so. A business administration graduate is now “at JohnsonRauhoff she works as the liaison between clients and the creative team, a group of copywriters, graphic designers, and art directors. She is involved in market research, budgeting, and estimates. Recently, Zars worked on two photo-shoots for lifestyle guru Katie Brown and even got to appear on Brown’s PBS-TV show “Katie Brown Workshop.”

Reading the description of the business major does make me think it is a good fit for me because it applies to what I talked about in my reflection above. It says, “As a business major, you will develop strong quantitative, problem solving, communication, and interpersonal skills. You'll exploring international business and learning to become an ethical leader in the workplace.”

Susan Vance, a professor of business here at Saint Mary’s says, “College is the best time for women to learn about good spending, saving, and investing practices. At this point in their lives, they have the time to learn and are just beginning to form habits that could last forever.” This intrigues me because as a women I think it is very important to be financially independent and understand how to make good financial choices especially right out of college. It is important to me to understand the economy that we live in because that will help me know how to make good career decisions and be a successful, involved member of society.

The Saint Mary’s website had a lot of information about what current students are involved in as well as what alumnae have been up to since graduating. I found that many business majors had the opportunity to study abroad and also learn about their major and be involved in international business. Students also had the opportunity to get some great internships, which they all said Saint Mary’s prepared them greatly for.

Two courses that seemed interesting to me were Principles of Marketing and Strategies for Financial Success.

       - 231 Principles of Marketing (3)

Introduction to marketing emphasizing the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods, and services for not-for-profit organizations and business firms. Includes study of end consumer and organizational market needs, marketing research, marketing planning, market segmentation, product development, promotion, advertising, personal selling, publicity, sales promotion, direct marketing and channels of distribution. Occasionally taught in Rome.

       - 244 Strategies for Financial Success (2)

This course will provide the financial knowledge that will help make informed decisions in the real world. Topics covered at a basic level may include: investing, including 401Ks and IRAs, credit management, budgeting, taxes, and insurance. No prior knowledge of business is required. Free elective credit only. Appropriate for non-business students. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing.

The Principles of Marketing interested me because if I am thinking about possibly owning my own business I will want to know how to market my company. Also the fact that it is taught in Rome interested me because I plan on study abroad there. The strategies for financial success course also interested me because as I mentioned before I think it is important to understand how to be financially independent and smart about business decisions.

Cara Grabowski is a Saint Mary’s alum that while a student was able to be involved in a marketing projecting right here in South Bend. I think opportunities like that while still in school are great for gaining the experience needed and also are real life situations that can help you determine if you enjoy doing something like that or not for a career. Also she double majored and doubled minored which surprised me because that seems very ambitious!

3. Resume

Two experiences that I would like to highlight about myself: I think that some of my skills that would be important to highlight is my ability to work with others and my creativity. I think my qualifications will come in time throughout college with the more experience I get.

Two experiences I would like to include after three years would be studying abroad in Rome and having an internship or two in my area of interest.