First Year Career Quest Inspires Pre-business Students to Focus on Career Paths
Pre-business students enrolled in BNAD 100 participated in the First Year Career Quest recently. This pre-event to Career Showcase gave students the opportunity to develop professionally while providing a real-world application of expectations within the workplace.
“The Quest is an opportunity for freshmen to start gaining exposure and begin interacting with the companies they may be looking to for employment down the road,” explained Natalie Scibilia (Pre-Business ’18).
Students were challenged to complete case studies from participating companies such as Cisco, Macy’s, Enterprise, and Vanguard. “There were about 30 students in each session,” said Haley Harper (Pre-Business ’18). “During the session we broke into smaller teams and approached important components of a business model, and at the conclusion of the session, we were able to share our suggestions.”
By immersing students in this environment early, the First Year Career Quest encouraged them to proactively plan their careers. “The Quest was a reality check that Eller really does lead to opportunities and the hard work you do now pays of later,” Zachary Berenson (Pre-Business ’18). “It was a realistic point of view that allowed me to learn what finance would be like if I worked as an analyst.”
“I couldn’t believe how seamless a company can be run with so many different types of people and careers,” said Caitlin Barner (Pre-Business ’18). “It was really interesting to understand how various offices are able to work as one.”
The First Year Career Quest emulated the larger Career Showcase that Eller hosts twice a year. Similar to the Showcase, the Quest featured company booths where Eller graduates were enlisted to speak to the students.
“I learned about foundational business management concepts and ideas that I can see translating across businesses in my future career,” said Harper.