When I think back to fall of my senior year of undergraduate I remember many of my friends were beginning to apply for jobs while others had already accepted positions and I was thinking of taking a completely different route. I didn’t feel quite ready to enter the “real world” as I had just completed an internship that had me considering new career paths. I was a communications and studio art major but somehow found myself loving the work I was doing at a marketing agency. Though I was technically a graphic design intern I was given the opportunity to learn so much more about the business world and I had hands on experience that left me wanting to learn more. Business was never a field I considered in college but all of a sudden I had an interest and when I learned about the MMG program it seemed like the answer. I was even offered a full time position post graduate but opted to stay in school for one more year. The program was the perfect way to gain business knowledge and differentiate myself from the thousands of others in the job search. It was also a great excuse to stay in New Orleans!
Starting classes and having a month long orientation in the summer was a great way to start of the program. My favorite part was our Friday activities which varied from escape rooms to ropes courses to company visits. These were great opportunities to get to know one another, develop teamwork skills and start to figure out things we were interested in. We also worked closely with the career center to develop resumes and skills vital to seeking out the right jobs.
As the semester progressed I felt as though I was really gaining valuable business knowledge while also learning how to work well in teams. Whether it has been writing case analysis, giving presentations or forming study groups, we’ve all had the opportunity to learn from one another, especially considering each students different undergraduate backgrounds. I can confidently say that going into second semester I feel ready to begin my job search and I cannot wait to see what’s in store for each one of us.
Christine Swinson