Business Management

Cera McCarragher

Management isnt for

everyone, its often a fit for people with vision, courage, integrity, energy, and a passionate commitment to their companies. (Kelly/McGowen 220) Purdue University Krannert School of Management October 2011

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Overview

A Typical
day at the office for me begins by asking: What is impossible that Im going to do today?
-Daniel Lamarre, Presedent and COO, Cirque du Soleil

Managers provide vision and direction for their organizations. (Kelly/McGowen 207) Managers fall into three different categories: top management, middle management, and first-line management. Each section requires different functions and skills. All managers plan, organize, lead and control to give a company direction, motivation, and organization. Managers are responsible for the planning of the company, strategic, tactical, and operational. Nonprofit organizations in particular seek to provide services, while maintaining a balance of funds to keep their business alive. Their primary purpose is to provide services to benefit other people. Purdue is currently seeking students who want to lead dynamic, creative and fearless decisions that will have global impact Your fellow students will help you discover your path, but you alone will earn your success. (Krannert School of Management, Undergraduate) Krannert promises to develop students into leaders. They operate with a lot of teamwork and group activities. In order to create future leaders of the world, the faculty provide as many networking, internship and learning activities as they can. Through this ethnography my hope is that you will be able to find advice from those who have gone before you.

McCarragher, Cera. Krannert and Rawls. 2011.

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Table of Contents
OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................................. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................................................................. 2 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................ 3 INTERVIEWS........................................................................................................................................................... 4 DR. ROY DEJOIE - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY....................................................................................................................4 STUDENT INTERVIEW: JOEL HART ......................................................................................................................................7 TINA WHITTINGTON: STUDENTS FOR LIFE OF AMERICA ........................................................................................................11 CLASS OBSERVATION ........................................................................................................................................... 14 CLASS OBSERVATION: LEGAL FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS ....................................................................................................14 REFLECTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 WORKS CITED/REFERENCED: ............................................................................................................................... 18

McCarragher, Cera. Welcome to Krannert. 2011.

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For Further Information

Internship and job search: http://www.idealist.org/ Women and Poverty: http://www.care.org/ Protecting the right to life: http://studentsforlife.org/ Child welfare: Word Vision sponsor a child Starting a non profit organization: http://managementhelp.org/startingorganizations/start-nonprofit.htm Starting a nonprofit organization: http://managementhelp.org/startingorganizations/start-nonprofit.htm Non-profit Businesses: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/10/27/10-service-groupsthat-are-making-a-difference Difference between nonprofit and for profit: http://www.krannert.purdue.edu/konline/fall2008/alumniGuestColum n.asp

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Interviews
Dr. Roy Dejoie - Information Technology
I rounded the corner of the hallway and encountered an open door with Dr. Dejoie seated at his desk in front of me. He was surrounded by piles of papers on every side. The desk had no space for anything but his stacks of books and papers. The shelves lining the walls and the chair behind Dr. Dejoie also housed more piles of books and papers. I slowly walked towards the small room wondering how best to begin my conversation. I timidly knocked on the open door and Dr. D looked up. Hello? He asked. I began to get concerned, this was the right office right? Hi, I said timidly, Im here for an interview? Oh, come on in, he said and pointed me towards a seat in front of the cluttered desk. Do you mind if I use a laptop to take notes? I asked as I unzipped my bag. Go right ahead, he said amicably. I waited for my laptop to start and then asked my first
http://krannert.purdue.edu/directory/bio.asp?username=rdejoi e

question: So can you tell me more about what MIS people actually ur goal is to do? Dr. D obliged giving me examples of companies that have

fight off the competition and become better than the competition

benefited from MIS and how that actually worked out. We help people, he repeated, We help companies by leveraging the use of technology and information. He continued by telling me the story of Blockbuster and Netflix. Blockbuster used to be a place where people got all of their movies. Their advantage was in their location, putting stores where

Dr. Dejoie]

people traveled most often on their way home. People rarely think, Oh, it would be nice to watch a movie tomorrow, and go and get one. Instead, they pass the Blockbuster and think, Oh, lets watch a movie tonight. Then Netflix came along and said, Hey, well remember that you want to watch a movie, you dont even have to think about it well just send it to you. Netflixe had people tell them what types of movies they were interested in, and found similar interests. They package it up and send it to you, and when youre done, you send it back and get another one. You dont have to think about

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anything. That way, they reach far more people, and they dont have to buy prime real estate, they have a warehouse in the middle of who knows where. Another example Dr. D gave was in reference to banking. Whats the first thing you think of when you go to a new bank? he asked me. Is it free?

Building

Students want to know if banking with this company is free. The next question, is where are the ATMs, right? You want to know where you can get your money. Thats a technology issue. Another thing you want to know, especially when youre away from home, at college, say, is it online? Can I access my account online. Thats a technology issue. MIS people deal with with a club to help you growa club within your major, a professional club, and a fun club

relationship s with faculty early is so

Get involved

these kinds of issues. He continued with another example of what MIS people do. Comcast used to be internet, now its internet and phone. He expounded on several other companies that used convergence to gain a competitive advantage. Our goal, he explained, is to fight off the competition and become better than the competition.

After hearing all about his view of MIS people, I changed gears with Dr. D and began asking personal development questions. He strongly advised me to get involved with clubs. In response to my question of how to best prepare myself for the working world, he said, Get involved with a clubs to help you grow A club within your major, a professional club, and a fun club. He gave me several examples of clubs and encouraged me to get involved with things I enjoy and also things which pertain to my major. If youre an accounting major, he said, make sure you go to the accounting meetings. Every freshman in Krannert has heard the phrase, Get to know your professors many times by the time week two rolls around. My constant question has never been answered, so I posed it to Dr. D, If youre not struggling with a class, or you dont have a question about class-related material, how do you get to know your professor and what do you say in office hours? Dr. D was full of wonderful ideas for how to get to know your professors. Building relationships with faculty early is so important, he said, I cannot tell you how many times students have come to me asking for a recommendation and I dont know them besides a grade on a piece of paper let them know your history, it makes writing recommendations and recruiting a lot easier. You cant build a relationship in one quick meeting. Get to know the faculty member for the organization youre involved in. Ask your professors questions, Were talking about X in class, but Ive

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seen Y in reality, why? You dont necessarily need to go see a professor for help in the class. Hey, I know its office hours, Ive got a question thats not necessarily part of the class (if theres not people needing help for the class.) or you could also use your professors as a resource, Im getting ready to register for classes, I know youre involved with X, I have the opportunity to take Y or Z, what do you think? Its always good to bounce ideas off of professors. Talking to Dr. D provided me with some interesting information to use and absorb. At this point I remain unconvinced about the MIS concentration, however Dr. D fully convinced me that he would be a good resource should anyone decide to pursue a MIS concentration.

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Student Interview: Joel Hart

The circumstances under which I met with my friend and neighbor Joel Hart were rather unusual compared to most interviews. Typically interviews take place in coffee shops, conference rooms, or offices. This particular day, I met Joel in an apartment. We both live off campus in the same apartment complex. Many of the students from our church reside in one of the three apartments. There is one all-female apartment and two all-male apartments across the parking lot. After some good natured banter between the guys in one of the apartments, Joel and I sat down in the living room to conduct an interview. Joel is a senior at Krannert in Management with an Economics and Finance minor. I switched at the end of my second year because of the job availability. I also wanted to be in a field that was more numbers based. I should have done a better job of looking at what type of jobs you would get in a certain field after graduation. Joel advised me to look into what type of courses each potential major consists of and be completely honest and upfront with my advisor about what youre looking for. Take your time about picking [majors], he counseled, -Especially if you arent rushed. Despite his change in majors, Joels time at Purdue was very focused. He is graduating in three years because he came in with so many credits from high school. Because he knew he wanted to finish in three years he did not study abroad. He told me that it would have taken too much time for him and he also did not want to leave the church here. One question I always struggle to answer is how to best use your professors as a resource. When presented with this question, Joel immediately told me to use their office hours. He said that, Most professors enjoy office hours when you come in. Theyre willing to invest time in you. Then the professor recognizes you. How do you go to office hours if you dont really have a question? I asked. Well, I wouldnt go if I you didnt have a question, he responded. If its a field youre interested in and it seems like a good professor, ask them for further explanation. In some of your early classes, thats not going to work. But usually professors are passionate about what theyre teaching.

Take your time

about picking [your

major], especially if
you arent rushed.

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I then turned the conversation to internships. Joel told me about an internship he had with a consulting firm. He was quick to tell me that he did

If your
teacher tells you to remember stuff, box it or star it because its going to be on the exam.

not get it through Purdue. He told me that working for Policy Analytics he did a lot of hands on financial analysis. If a county wants to build a new shopping mall, how will that impact their economy? he asked me, That the type of analysis I would research. He then proceeded to tell me that using the resources I have is the best way to find internships. Joel strongly encouraged me to go to the career fairs early even if I didnt want an internship. You get to see what a career fair is like, he said, I was scared to death the first time I went. You get practice talking to people, and if you get the chance, you can get a practice interview. I got an interview, got the offer and then said no. It was a little awkward, cuz I went through this whole process and then said no. But I really didnt like the company. It was excellent practice though. When asked how to get the most out of Krannert and the career fairs, Joel responded, Spend time. Youve got to be willing to put time in. In Krannert, if youre not willing to put time into making resumes and talking to people youre going to be in trouble. Then he sat and thought for a minute. Oh! he sat up straighter excited that he had something to tell me, You need to be able to use the CCO. I only discovered that this year and I wish I had earlier. He then proceeded to tell me a story about interviewing with several companies and they all asked if he had a resume on CCOs website. Dont fall asleep, was Joels first piece of advice to me about taking good notes. He continued, Turn your phone off and put it away. There are very few things that cant wait 50min. He went on to explain how having your phone out and

You get to see what

a career fair is like. I was scared to death the first time I went. You get practice talking to people, and if you get the chance, you can get a practice interview.

McCarragher 9

texting in class really does distract you from the class material. In addition its just plain rude and disrespectful to the teacher. With regards to the actual notes themselves, Joel had a few things to say. Develop some sort of system or code or something, so that when you read the notes a month later youll know what they mean. Have little stars or explanations for things. Clearly mark on your papers which day of class it is so you can go back and find it. If your teacher tells you to remember stuff, box it or star it because its going to be on the exam. After thinking for a minute while I finished typing, Joel remembered something else he wanted to tell me. In Krannert, teachers are going to put power points up on blackboard beforehand. Print them out beforehand. If the professor is using PowerPoint, get a 3-ring binder and print the PowerPoints before class and keep them in there. Make sure you know where all your notes are. Having almost completed his degree in three years as opposed to the typical four, Joel clearly has something right about his time management. Youre not going to have good time management if you dont get some kind of consistent sleep schedule. I dont know how many times our parents have told us to get good sleep, but apparently its true. Joel also advised me to schedule as many of my classes as close together on Tuesday and Thursday as I could. That way, he said, you Fridays are wide open and you can do most of your homework on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

University
bookstore kills you financially

While we were on the topic of advice, I asked Joel if there was anything he knew now that he wished hed known his freshman year. He proceeded to warn me not to buy all of my books at the university bookstore. Although it seems like the slackers thing to do, wait until you see I you really need your book for class before you buy it. University bookstore kills you financially. Chances are you can get it

far cheaper online than you ever could in the bookstore. Then sell it back to them. Joel then gave me tips on where to go to study. He said his personal favorite was Rawls 3rd floor because the tables are large and the atmosphere is quite. If youre looking to do group work, he recommended going to the 3rd floor of Krannert because, you can be as loud as you want and no one will care. Next, I turned the conversation from academics to extracurricular activities. Joel has been involved with three organizations on campus, Purdue CORPS, Student Representative on the Athletic Affairs Committee, and Krannert freshman Career Mentor. Purdue CORPS is a Christian group of students who seek to serve god with their lives and honor him in all their activities of life. Their goal is to engage in Christian fellowship, learn more about God, and reach out to others. Joel has been involved with CORPS since he arrived on campus, participating in many of the social events, leading and

McCarragher 10

facilitating Bible studies and prayer groups. He also participated in Men In Training (MIT) an intensive two year study on biblical manhood and how to apply that information practically speaking. As one of two student representatives, Joel advises the Athletic Affairs Committee from a students perspective. A huge football and basketball fan, Joel enjoys the perks of being a member. Although having reserved seating at every game means he can sit with his friends, he is privileged to see the games. Recently he used his two complimentary tickets to an away game to take his then girlfriend, now fiance, to see the Boilers play in Pennsylvania. In the past Joel has served as a Krannert freshman career mentor. The mentor program matches a freshman with an upperclassman to provide counsel and advice. The upperclassmen help integrate the freshman into Krannert. It helped me develop one-on-one relationships with people and give back to the school. Its a decent program. I would recommend getting involved with that. Being in a new place means finding new friends, new familiar places, memories, a new world. Coming from a place where many of the food stores here In Lafayette dont exist, I was curious to what Joel had to say on the subject of food. Well at the book store theres been a lot of packaged blueberry muffins! Joel said to me. Im totally kidding. Thats not true. You dont have to put that in. He assured me before pondering the question a little longer. Triple X is very good stuff. You should really go there at least once. Some people tell you Triple X isnt that good, but theyre wrong. God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listening to other people can be a powerful learning tool. Talking to Joel gave me an opportunity not only to get to know him better, but also to learn more about Krannert and Purdue in general. Little tidbits of advice come out that you would never think of ordinarily. Learning some of the ins and outs of the career fair will be helpful in next years fair I am sure.

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Tina Whittington: Students for Life of America

My Skype started beeping at me. I quickly closed the document I was working on and answered the call. After apologizing for being late, Tina flipped her blond hair, picked up a tub of food and asked if this interview was being recorded. After I replied in the negative, she confessed that she didnt have her make-up on today. Tina currently works as the Assistant director of Students For Life of America (SFLA). She manages the daily operations of the company and functions as an office person. Before the death of Field Director Kortney Blythe Gordon this past week, Tina served as an assistant to Kortney. Now she has taken over the position until they hire someone else. She said the biggest thing she did every year was the Students for Life Conference in January. Contacting the speakers, student groups and taking care of the logistics compose of the biggest thing she does every year. When she is needed, Tina will speak to various groups about prolife topics. Tina was raised in a non-Christian home where prolife and prochoice issues were not discussed. In junior high, Tinas friends witnessed to her and she came to know Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. In high school she began to go to church where she became involved with the church youth group. One day they took a survey about abortion and then watched a film explaining abortion and the horror of it. They were given the same survey after the film was shown and Tinas perspective changed drastically. When she went to college, Tina got involved with Rock for life which is an organization that works with bands to promote the sanctity of life on stage. She ended up marrying the leader of the band. So basically I married into the prolife movement, she said. Junior year Tina left college to move to Virginia with her husband. Shortly afterwards she got pregnant and never finished school. I dont recommend it, she told me quickly. After she got married, Tina became involved with Rachels Vineyard. Rachels Vineyard is a post abortion treatment facility. They help women struggling with post abortion symptoms. With four children, working at Rachels Vineyard was more manageable because she was able to do it part time. Now that her children are a little older, Tina accepted her current job as assistant director at Students For Life of America.

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Tina was eager to tell me about her children and the activities they enjoy as a family. All her children play soccer and love to read. I like to go hiking, she told me. She enjoys being outside with her family. As a stay at home mom you often feel like youve never accomplished anything. You make breakfast, do the dishes from breakfast, turn around and have to make lunch. For Tina, success does not mean earning tons of money. I would say that success has to do with how I influence the people around me- positively influence my kids, the people in my office, the students. It doesnt necessarily mean checking everything off my list. Tina recognizes that success is more than material wealth. Her goal in life is to influence others and be a light to them in this world. Which means I can be a janitor and be successful. With regards to her job, Tina mentioned that its kind of hard to measure success because you can never tell how many women decide not to have abortions, or how many women years later will remember and choose life. We have some successes, but the ultimate success is to abolish abortion. So success is engaging more people in this conversation, training people, and educating people. Tinas favorite part about working at SFLA is when a new group starts or a babys life is saved. She told me the story about one campus group that started and within a week, they were praying outside an abortion clinic and a woman decided not to have her abortion. Thats the best part of what we do saving babies and helping women. The worst part about working here is that students are really bad at keeping in touch. Youve e-mailed, facebooked, and texted and we cant move ahead until they get back to you. You have no control over other people. A lot of what we do depends on other people. Then of course abortion hasnt been abolished yet. Were trying to work ourselves out of a job. After hearing about her job and brief life story, I turned the interview to her suggestions and recommendations for me. One of the first things she told me was that she wished she had taken more debate classes. I took speech classes, and Im glad I did, but Im not good at debating. In this job, when youre going out and doing activism on campus, you need to be able to debate. I know my position, but I have a hard time debating it. When I asked Tina how I can best prepare to serve the prolife cause, she gave me several practical pieces of advice. Engage with the prolife group on campus become a liaison for the nearest crisis pregnancy care center and engage people on campus. There are pregnant girls on all college campus. That segment is procuring the most abortions, but what if they knew that there are resources that will help them. Tina encouraged me to be able to talk to people, stand up in class and know where the nearest crisis pregnancy care center is. Every time theres an abortion, a babys heart stops beating. Every time abortion stops a beating heart and kills a baby.

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SFLA offers a nine week internship which breaks down into three, three week segments. Three weeks in the SFLA office, three weeks on Capitol Hill working with prolife representatives, and three weeks at another national prolife organization. Tina told me that its different each year because the projects change. Sometimes the interns help make posters, they do research about various topics, and help organize various administrative details. The internship also involves a massive training session. The Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) leader and the post abortion work leader give the interns real tools to bring back to campus. Tina told me that the internship is very flexible and if an intern has something that they want to work on or create, they try to help you pursue that ambition. When it came to practical advice, Tina had plenty of things to say to me. When I asked her what the best practices in networking were, the first thing she said was, Dont be a pest. Sound advice from someone who doesnt want to be inundated with tons of mail. She told me the key was to find a common connector. Why are you reaching out to this person? Making a connection between you is important so they dont disregard you. With regards to face to face networking she recommended asking for peoples cards instead of giving yours out. That way, you can be in control of making the communication move forward. She also said that being bold, friendly, and confident goes a long way when networking with people. The last piece of advice Tina gave me was to take advantage of the time in college and try new things. Sometimes we get so set in this is who I am, this is what I want to do that we dont try things. College is a treasure, you have the ability to pick up and try different things. Who am I in the Lord and how can I serve him. Tina shared how in college she tried several random things. She wasnt good at swimming, so she took a 1 credit PE swimming class. As Christians we wait on the Lord, Ok God, what do you want me to do, and we dont hear from him we just stay put. You have to move forward and try things.

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Class Observation
Class Observation: Legal Foundations of Business
Feeling somewhat nervous at attending an upper level class, I arrived several minutes early. I stepped out of the elevator onto the basement floor of Krannert. Students lined the walls waiting for their next class. Many of them were completely enamored with their phones, iPods, and other technological doohickeys. A few students engaged in conversation, and others sat on the floor in gloomy silence. Are you in this class? I finally had the courage to ask one guy as I nodded towards the room I was scheduled to attend class in. No, he said and sidled farther away from me. A few minutes before the scheduled start time of the class, the professor showed up. He carried a brief case in one hand and his other hand consisted of a metal hook with which he used to hold open the door. After the previous class filed out, he went in and set his brief case on the table. I followed him rather nervously. I stood before the table as if facing judgment. Are you the professor? I asked rather sheepishly. Who else would this man be taking command of the class room and clearly older than all the students? Yes, I am, he said looking up at me. Im here to I began. You must be Cera. He said. I immediately registered that he had pronounced my name correctly the first time! No one ever pronounces my name correctly. Let me see he mumbled as his hook hand pried open his brief case and he glanced at a seating chart of the classroom. Why dont you sit over there, he said gesturing to a seat in the middle, second row, and second seat in. He turned around as I walked towards my assigned seat. Oh, I forgot to ask, I hastened to add before making it to my seat, Is it alright with you if I take notes on my laptop? Go right ahead, he said amicably. I sat down at my assigned seat, pulled out my laptop and began to absorb the atmosphere of the class. The room was underground with no windows or any
http://krannert.purdue.edu/directory/bio.asp?username =meadel

form or natural light. The fixed tables were in an oval formation with an

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opening towards the teacher. The desks were tiered on three different levels. After the first rush of students who had been waiting outside, the room gradually filled up. The professor stood near the front of the room and did not engage much with the students. One student did ask him a question to which he responded. The majority of the students sipped their various beverages and engaged in virtual conversations through various mediums. A select few conversed with their neighbors. The social dynamics of the class were pretty even. There were approximately 15 girls and 20 boys, with about 10 being non-Caucasian. The average student was clad in jeans and a t-shirt with the occasional suit and tie. The clock reached 12:30 exactly and the professor became alive. He began class by reminding the students of the upcoming exam in two days. He then proceeded to teach the last of the material to be covered on the test. His teaching aids consisted of a presentation of an outline which was extremely hard to read. (The students were provided with a copy of this outline which they referenced constantly and wrote rapid notes on.) Another teaching tool the professor favored was dynamic examples. He enjoyed using the students as objects of his examples and portrayed them using rather unique and entertaining voices. His illustrations proved his point, and his confidence commanded the respect of his audience. The fast paced nature of his class resulted in his favorite three words, You with me? Trying to make sure the class understood what he was teaching them. None of the students ever objected. Having full confidence in the ability of his students to read the textbook and the notes he had created, the professor rapidly skipped sections of the outline informing the students that failing to read the notes and the text book would produce bad results. It became clear that the professor knew what he was talking about when he drew from his own personal experience. He used some real life examples to add variety to his lecture. A mixture of fabricated examples and real life situations helped the students grasp the concept he was trying to teach. Once the clock hit 1:20 exactly, he lost the attention of 50% of the students. About a third of the students began packing up and completely zoned out. He rapidly finished again warning about the looming test and encouraging them to study hard. I packed my things and thanked him for letting me join their class for a day. His personable attitude made me feel welcome as I exited the classroom behind everyone else. Personally, I do not know if I would join this class. I am not a fan of taking notes all the time on a subject. The professor himself seemed friendly and personable; however the challenge of note-taking continues to make me wary. I did, however, learn more about how law and business are intertwined.

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Reflection
My goal with studying Management is to pursue a nonprofit business. I am convinced that God has given me talents to use in order to benefit other people. I do not know what kind of people or how specifically God wants me to help them, but I do know that he has led me here for a reason and he will reveal that to me in his own time. The other thing with a management degree is that it remains flexible allowing me to pursue a law degree should God call me to that, or it allows me to work from home at a volunteer organization while raising a family. Doing this project opened my eyes to various types of Management that I didnt really know existed and how they relate to those they touch. Visiting the Management Law class showed me a few things about myself, one being that I am not a huge fan of writing down all the information a professor says. The law side of the class did interest me, however. I have long been interested in pursuing something in the law arena. Visiting the Business Law class gave me an idea of how the two relate. Not only did this project allow me to talk to a professor and sit in on a class, it gave me tools to continue this learning process. From this project I have learned some tools to utilize when talking to other professors, other students, or practitioners in my field of interest. As a class we brainstormed questions to ask different types of people; questions about them and how they got where they are today, questions about how as college freshman we could best prepare ourselves for the working world, and questions about advice they have for us. Aside from the assigned interviews, I also conducted an interview of an Operations Management professor. He came to speak to our Management 100 class and I was hooked by the questions he asked us. I sent him an email asking for an interview. He was more than happy to interview me and ended up offering to let me sit in on a class. So I accepted his offer and sat in on an upper level Operations Management class. I utilized the observation skills fine-tuned through this project to observe both the professor and the class. As a result my current plan is to pursue a concentration in Operations Management. Because I interviewed him and was pro-active, this professor told me he was, Already willing to buy stock in [me]. So now I have a mentor in that field. Interviewing Joel gave me insight into his world and higher academics at Purdue. He was full of several helpful hints and information. I am excited to continue learning and growing academically at

McCarragher 17

Krannert. He told me some of the best places to study, tips for interacting with professors, and ideas for how to get involved on campus. Perhaps someday I will be able to sit down with a freshman and answer all their questions. Interviewing Tina gave me a wonderful opportunity to talk to someone who is currently working in a field I am interested in pursuing. She works in the nonprofit sector and was very willing to talk to me. Through talking to her, I gathered some ideas for how I can prepare myself to serve. For those of you reading this, if youre still in high school, there are a few things you should consider. If youve already chosen to come to Purdue (or any other University for that matter), remember that talking to people is a wonderful way to learn. Professors love to talk to you about themselves and the classes they teach. Especially if you talk to a professor who teaches a higher level class, they love talking about what they teach. Talking to older students can be invaluable. They have been at the university and know the ropes of what works and what doesnt. They are usually pretty friendly and willing to be helpful. Remember that while college is a time for you to learn and figure things out, it is very fast paced. Your professors will tell you to start networking, and indeed it starts right away. You need to be prepared to work hard and not waste time. If youre reading this and youre unsure where youre going to go to college, try and figure out what you want to do when you grow up and figure out a program that will help you get there. When youre visiting colleges, evaluate how helpful the faculty and professors are. They are the people you will be working with for the next several years of your life. Talk to some students and see how friendly and helpful they are. Its all part of the environment of campus. Whether you have made the decision to attend a specific university or are still trying to discover that, you need to know what you want to do. Define Success for yourself. What will it take for you to feel fulfilled? For me, I know that unless I am serving God to the best of my ability, I will never feel satisfied. Seek guidance from those you respect who have experience. Ask God for guidance. When I was making the college decision, everyone told me that God would make it clear to me where he wanted me to go. I didnt believe them. I do now. The story of how I came to Purdue is full of Gods guidance and opening doors. If you seek his will for your life and trust him, he will give you guidance in a way that will leave you astounded.

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Works Cited/Referenced:
Busn 3d edition, Kelly McGowen
Swane , Ashleigh. "Cera McCarragher." 2010. JPG file. Hart , Joel . "Joel Hart ." JPG file.

" Krannert School of Business | Undergraduate - Krannert School of Management - Undergraduate Program Home ." Purdue University - Krannert School of Management. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2011. <http://krannert.purdue.edu/undergraduate/>. McCarragher, Cera. Krannert and Rawls. 2011. McCarragher, Cera. Welcome to Krannert. 2011