Posts Tagged “LinkedIn”

When I grow up I want to be….

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Stephanie

When we were little, everyone knew what they wanted to be when they grew up. Some kids changed their minds every day, and some stuck with one solid occupation, which is how I was as a small child.

: Me – all ready for school….

Except for a short period when I wanted to be a truck driver, I always wanted to be a teacher…until my senior year of high school. Then I decided to completely switch it up and go with Marketing instead…which I think was a solid choice. I love my major, but there are so many different ways that I could use it…so over the last few years I have been slowly deciding where I would fit in the business world, and trying to determine what I would like to do for the rest of my life. I think I might have my future plans nailed down now, and I’m pretty sure that I won’t have enough time to ever do everything that I would like.

This summer I am going to start my first real person job, with the Orr Fellowship. In two years I will have the opportunity to stay with the company, leave that job to go to grad school, maybe move on to another company, or do whatever my heart desires. That is where I have a problem….because there are entirely too many things that I want to do. I’m that kid who has unrealistic dreams and ideas about what can actually happen, and it kind of scares me. Luckily, pretty much everyone is saying that Generation Y will change jobs/careers several times in their lifetime, so I guess it’s not too bad that I just want to do anything and everything. Here is what I am thinking for my potential future…in no particular order:

Work in politics – for a campaign, a legislator, or as a lobbyist
Work with economic development – preferably in rural areas
Work in retail – preferably on the corporate level
Marketing – since you know, that is my major
Sales – preferably with consumer goods, and maybe some B2B
Plan events…maybe weddings
Start my own business…not sure what kind just yet
Be an interior decorator…or flip houses….maybe just on the side, for fun.

And I think that is all….I think that covers everything that I would love to do with my life. The positive side to this all is that there are so many areas that I would be interested in pursuing that it will hopefully be easier to find a job whenever the time comes. And truthfully…I’m so excited for the future. Thinking about the possibilities that I have before me is just plain exciting…because who knows what I’ll be doing or where I’ll be in 5 or 10 years….but I know that I will love it, wherever I am.

Tagged: career, future, Generation Y, jobs, LinkedIn, marketing, Orr Fellowship, politics, school, senior year, teaching | 1 Comment

Thoughts from a Senior….

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Stephanie

This is it. My last semester at Butler. Even though I’ve been a senior for awhile now…it feels strangely more official now that I’ve really had my last first day of school…ever. Most of my classes are only senior classes…so each professor is taking this last semester to teach us everything that we might need to know before we venture out into the real world. I appreciate it, but it just makes our future/the real world that much more real and imminent.

The one not-so-fun thing about being a senior is being asked over and over again… “So are you ready to leave? Are you sad? What are you doing after you graduate?” Fortunately, I have a job for after graduation, so that is a really positive thing to mention, but it is kind of difficult to concisely explain what my post-grad job is. As for the other questions, I understand why people ask them…all the time…but on this end…it gets old. So for the record….

Am I ready to leave Butler??? Nope. I like college a lot. And Butler has been the perfect place to spend my college years.

Am I sad??? Yes. Think about it…living in a house with 75 of your closest friends, putting off all real financial responsibility, going to class in your pajamas, living within walking distance of a Starbucks where you will always see at least one person you know, never having to cook for yourself, having social events to attend pretty much whenever you would like….college has been great. So I am sad.

: All ready for formal…one of the many things that I won’t have in my post-college life…

Throughout the semester I’ll share some more of my thoughts as a senior, because I figure that I only get to be a senior once…so I should make the most of it…right?

Tagged: classes, college, graduation, jobs, LinkedIn, nostalgia, real world, senior year, Starbucks | Leave a comment

The Beginning of the End…of my Butler Career.

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Stephanie

Last semester, I worked so much that I barely had time to study and I hardly even felt like a student. I was this strange “phantom senior” who was only in my room between 11 p.m. and 7:30 a.m., and who lived out of my plethora of Vera Bradley bags. Some people would love this kind of schedule…but I couldn’t stand it. It was like I was living double lives, as a partial “real person” who worked 25+ hours a week, drank coffee, and who went to meetings to talk about things that involved budgets more than $500….and as a partial student who still took 12 credit hours, was overly involved, and lived in a sorority house. It was a nice little introduction to my future….but I have got to say…I am so glad to be a student again. I am now in class more than I’m at work, and I love it. Granted, it is just the second week of school, and I actually have time to study/prepare for each class, but I think that my schedule this semester is going to allow for me to love every minute of my last few months here at Butler…and I couldn’t be happier.

So, in my last semester at Butler, I tried to make sure that I would be making the most of everything… classes, work experience, and campus life. I’m taking 15 credit hours (which is not a ton, but not an easy load either), all of which I am really excited about. I get to take my two business capstone courses (one for management and one for marketing), consumer behavior, international marketing, and a leadership & decision-making course for my minor (communication studies). As far as work goes, I am still blogging, working in Speakers Lab, and I am doing my 4th internship at the Butler Business Accelerator (an on-campus consulting firm). Even though I am still working 3 jobs, I’m working about half as much as I did last semester, which is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Since I am a second semester senior, I am also starting to “phase out” of most of my organizations. I recently transitioned the new people that are taking over 3 of my past leadership positions, so I am outrageously excited to be a participant in campus activities for the first time in awhile…rather than being in charge. We will see what I say in about a month, when school is really moving….but for now…I finally am loving senior year.

Some Alpha Phi seniors on Bid Day...

Tagged: classes, clubs, internships, LinkedIn, senior, senior year, Speakers Lab, studying, Vera Bradley, working | Leave a comment

Semester #7 – Check

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Stephanie

Ever since I started college, I have thought that my life could not get any busier, and that the next semester would be so much easier. But, of course…it never let up…and I think that it actually got worse over time. I love being busy…but when I look back over the last 7 semesters…I wonder how I ever made it through…

Fall 2008 – 17 credit hours, I pledged Alpha Kappa Psi, and I joined the Butler Dance Team
Spring 2009 – 17 credit hours, I joined Alpha Phi, and basketball season with the Dance Team was super busy

The 2008-2009 Butler Dance Team

Fall 2009 – 19 credit hours, I lived in Alpha Phi for the first time, the Real Business Experience ruled my life, and I started working in Speakers Lab
Spring 2010 – 18 credit hours, my Law & Ethics class ruled my life, and I started having leadership positions in clubs
Fall 2010 – 16 credit hours, and I’m sure something took up all of my time…I can’t remember what it was….
Spring 2011 – 16 credit hours, and I was searching for an internship with every free moment of every day

So this brings us to now, the end of Fall 2011…my 7th semester of college. I only took 12 hours (which is the lightest load you can take as a full-time student), but I worked 22 hours/week at my internship, and between blogging and working in Speakers Lab I worked an extra 5 hours/week. Also, when you factor in the time that it took me to drive to my internship every day, you can add on another 7 hours each week, so altogether….I worked around 34 hours every week. This basically meant that I had no time to spare when I was on campus..or period…because I was either working, or in class. But now, it is over….and I officially fulfilled my internship requirements! I never thought that I would, because I had to work for 300 hours throughout the semester, and it took me a LOT longer to do that than I originally thought. So last week during finals, I worked as much as I could, and I ended up making it to 300 right at the end of the day on the last day of the week. SUCCESS!

So now…all I have to do is make it through 15 more hours this Spring. This will be a breeze…I hope?

Tagged: Alpha Kappa Psi, alpha phi, Butler Dance Team, classes, Dance Team, internship, LinkedIn, Speakers Lab, studying, working | Leave a comment

It’s official…I have a big girl job!

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Stephanie

Every college senior’s biggest fear is that they will graduate from college and not be able to find a job. No matter how much you prepare for the real world, finding a job is pretty tough out there right now, especially for those of us that only have internships and part-time jobs under our belts. So whenever people ask us about our plans for the future…we have a quick freak out on the inside…as we imagine what our lives could become if we never found a job. For me, I always imagined moving home and crafting everything in my parents house, which I was kind of alright with…but I’m sure my parents would get tired of VERY quickly.

Don’t worry about my life becoming extremely sad and lazy though..because I officially have a post-grad job!

EXCITEMENT!!!

For the past few months, I have been applying for every job opportunity that was available…which really isn’t many, considering that it is December, and I won’t be able to start a job until at least May. The application process for the job that I accepted was almost two months long, and I was fortunate enough to be one of the finalists selected. So, this means that after graduation, I will be an Orr Fellow at BidPal Network, a company in Indianapolis. I could not be more excited for this new chapter in my life, and that I will have the chance to stay in Indy following graduation. I really do love the city, and I hope that I will actually have time to explore it when I’m not overcommited on campus anymore. Stay tuned over the next few months though, as I give you all the perspective of college life from someone who is officially employed. (Hopefully…it isn’t too different…I don’t want to get too lazy during spring semester.)

For more about the Orr Fellowship, check out their website!

Tagged: BidPal Network, career, Indianapolis, job, LinkedIn, Orr Fellowship, real life, senior year | 3 Comments

The Dangers of Going to a Small School

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Stephanie

Going to a school like Butler that is rather small has it’s pros and cons (as every school does)….but they are each pros and cons that I love. So, I thought that I would share some…

At a small school…

You will be exposed to more diversity (personalities, values, hobbies, etc.) than you would be anywhere else. For instance…at big schools, people most likely have a small group of close-knit friends…but at small schools…everyone knows everyone. So you will be friends with a wider variety of people…which is really a cool thing when you think about it.

My roommates and I....we're all so different...but that is what makes us love each other so much!

Your professors always know you. I personally love this, because I have really great relationships with a lot of my professors (beyond just knowing my name and major), but at the same time….this way they know when you slack off…and when you aren’t in class.
There aren’t a ton of food options on campus, etc. This really stinks sometimes…like when it is snowing out and you don’t want to leave….or when you are lazy and don’t want to leave (this happens to me a lot)…but here…I think it is actually a positive. If we had more on campus, we would stay here. We would be comfortable….and nothing would ever force us outside of our Butler Bubble. But really…Indy is an awesome city with so many food, shopping, and entertainment options that I’m glad that I get to venture out a couple times a week at least.

So even though going to a school that is tiny compared to big state schools is kind of tough in the beginning…after awhile you actually start to appreciate those differences, like the things I just mentioned.

Tagged: diversity, eating, friends, Indianapolis, LinkedIn, major, professor, shopping, sorority | 2 Comments

So you’ve moved in…now what?

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Stephanie

Once you arrive on campus and you move everything in, there is a point in time where you just aren’t sure what to do. Either you haven’t unpacked much yet, and you aren’t sure how/what to unpack, or you don’t know where to go or what to do around campus, no matter what, it is an awkward and difficult time for knowing how to handle your first few days at Butler. So, here are a few handy dandy tips for getting used to campus and getting settled in.

Bond with your roommate. Even though you have probably already spoken to your roommate, use your time of getting settled in as a time to really break the ice, and work together for the first time to find solutions that work for both of you. For instance, you can brainstorm together about how to best set up your room, depending on your preferences, habits, and anything else important to you!
Get out of your room. Getting to know your roommate is important, but even more important is making the most of your experience. So, get out of your room, and participate! Go meet some new people at Starbucks, go to the Mall to hangout, or find something else to do. I am definitely a homebody, but I love being social, so I have to sometimes remind myself that the best way to be social is just to be out and about on campus.
Go to every possible Welcome Week event. There are so many, and they are going to be so much fun. So do EVERY one (but be sure to not drive yourself crazy…of course).
Explore Indy. This city is pretty great, so go check it out! I did a series of blogs on what to do out and about in Indy….so give it a shot! See what this place is all about, and what kind of awesome shopping, museums, and attractions there are all over the city.
Explore Holcomb Gardens. The gardens are one of the hidden gems of Butler University, so go check them out. I didn’t really know that they existed until a few weeks into my Freshman year, so go down there right away, and marvel at the beauty and at the awesomeness, that is right here on campus.

Mostly, just make sure that you keep in mind that this week is for you, the new students. The SOGs are all here to help with your transitions, so use us as resources as much as possible. We just want you to have a safe and healthy transition, and mostly, to LOVE Butler University!

Tagged: freshman year, Indianapolis, LinkedIn, new students, roommate, SOG, Student Orientation Guide, Welcome Week | Leave a comment

My #1 Tip for New College Students

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Stephanie

During SOG training yesterday, we had a discussion about things that we each thought were important to pass along to new students when they first arrive on campus. There was one thought that came up in our group that I thought was so important and pivotal that I wanted to share it even before all of the new students arrive on campus. Do you want to know what it is?? Well, you should. Here it is:

Be Socially Tolerant.

This is such an important aspect of going to college, because as I’m sure you are aware, college is completely different from high school. Of course it is different because you are moving away from home, taking harder classes, and potentially leaving friends, but all at once you are entering an entirely new social realm. For instance, in high school people tend to be catty, and they might stereotype people or exclude others because of their “type”, but in college, it is a completely different world. Now, I’m not saying that things are absolutely perfect in college, and that it is completely free of any high school drama, but it’s kind of as if people here are held to a higher standard of maturity. At college, people seem to understand that they will not be just like other people, and they appreciate those differences.

So, if you are one of Butler’s incoming freshmen this fall (or a freshman at any other school), take advantage of this unique opportunity you have. Let others surprise you, because you never know who could end up being a great friend, or even someone that you could learn amazing things from. When I met my best friend Meghan freshman year, I never thought that we would be inseparable 2 years later, simply because we are such different people. (i.e. I’m basically a carnivore, and she is an earth-loving vegetarian, among other things.) Be tolerant, and embrace your differences!

Meghan and I...even though we dress alike, we are still very different!

Tagged: college, freshman year, friends, LinkedIn, new students, Social Tolerance, SOG, Student Orientation Guide, Welcome Week | 2 Comments

The Saga Continues…I move, I craft.

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Stephanie

It seems that every time I move…I feel the need to craft. For some people, this doesn’t mean much, but for me, it results in an awful lot of gluing and painting. This is because I move at least three times a year, once at the beginning of spring semester, once at the beginning of the summer, and once before fall semester. I kind of like this…but it does get rather time-consuming and expensive. Nevertheless, I love making sure that everywhere I live looks fun and unique…and that I enjoy myself while making it happen. I just recently finished crafting some things in my apartment, here is what I came up with….

We have a dining room table, so naturally we needed a centerpiece. JoAnn’s had their pottery 70% off last week, so I grabbed a bowl, and I made some decorative balls just like I made a wreath a few months ago. Add in a placemat and some candles…and viola….our centerpiece.

My Hand-Crafted Centerpiece...

Above our TV there is a huge blank wall. It was slightly overwhelming….so we slowly worked on it. My roommate crafted her Audrey Hepburn photos, I used some fabric I had on hand to make a decorative picture, and I made some more decorative balls and added them to a picture. Basically, this wall pulls together everything else in our apartment.

Our cluster of creations...

Before I officially moved in, I came by our apartment to see what all they provided. Basically, they provided everything we needed…but I wanted to make my room a little bit more fun. So I stopped by my Grandma & Grandpa’s…and took some of their old lamps. One was little and blue….and I just spruced it up a bit and made it match the shade by adding some ribbon. I like it much more now…

My Grandma's lamp...Updated

My Grandma also is an artist, and she has a HUGE stock of paintings. So I went shopping for art before I moved in, and this was one that I loved. It wasn’t big enough for me….so I made the little frames on the sides, and added the fabric and rosettes to make them match the painting. They don’t look as cute in this photo…but in real life they are much cooler…I swear.

My addition to my Grandma's painting

That is the majority of the crafting I have done lately….but I will do a full tour of our apartment another time….so be sure to check back!

Tagged: apartment, centerpiece, crafting, decorating, family, LinkedIn, ribbon, wreath | Leave a comment

Outreaches…all day every day – Part II

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Stephanie

As I mentioned previously, I did quite a few outreaches in the last few weeks for the 500 Festival. Outreaches are classified as any time that a princess goes out and meets with the public basically in any form. I did some in the Indianapolis area, and I organized a few on my own in southern Indiana. This way I had something to get up and do while I was at home for a whole week…ha, like I needed to find something to do..

I was most excited about just going to schools in my hometown, because unlike in Indy, we don’t hear about it all the time, and the hype doesn’t extend all the way down to the southernmost part of the state. So, I kind of took it as my job to get the kids in the schools excited about it, and also to inform them of many of the things they just aren’t aware of. I met with two groups of fourth graders, and focused on the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the race itself with those groups. In Indiana, fourth grade is when you focus on Indiana history, so I gave those kids a taste of Indiana history…just in a different way. I also spoke with the third graders from my elementary school, the kindergarteners from the school my Mom teaches at, and a variety of different classes from another school. The biggest challenge of all was tailoring the material to each group, because they each have such different personalities, so they all respond to things very differently. So, with the third graders I let them ask lots of questions (which were very insightful), I made sashes and pit passes with the kindergarteners, and did short and fun lessons with the variety of classes. This way, I could switch things up quickly and easily whenever it was necessary.

Even though working with so many different groups of kids all in one week was rather overwhelming, it was so much fun to get to see how the kids reacted to the poster I had with the cars on it, or what they said when I told them that the Indy cars go over 200 miles per hour. Sometimes you forget what it felt like to be a kid….and I loved being able to be reminded of that!

The fourth graders from my elementary school...

Tagged: 500 festival, 500 festival princess, elementary school, indianapolis 500, indianapolis motor speedway, LinkedIn, outreaches, princess program, school | Leave a comment

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