I’m culling stories from our past Collegewise students for inclusion in my book due out in July. I came across one today that captures perfectly how students can maximize their time in college and still land a job in this economy.
Wes was a student in our Irvine, California office. He entered Northeastern University as a marketing major and credits his fraternity experience with helping him launch a successful career. First, he was named the public relations chair for his chapter, planning events that sold out Northeastern’s biggest auditorium and filled the campus quad with thousands of students. He leveraged those experiences into an internship with Gillette/Proctor & Gamble where he did global marketing for the Gillette Fusion razor. That’s where he became interested in “the fast-paced world of advertising." He continued his internship, took on more responsibilities, and after graduation, he went to work at an advertising agency in New York City, where his current list of clients includes Adidas and Reebok.
As he puts it,
“Before Northeastern, I wouldn't have even been able to dream of the opportunities it has created for me. I would have never known what I wanted to do, I would have never known what it's like to live in a city, and I'd definitely never have gained the life experiences that will inevitably help me in the future.”
This isn’t a plug for Northeastern or for fraternities. It’s a reminder that wherever you go to college, it will be up to you to make the most of the opportunities presented to you. Your college—prestigious or not—won’t just transform you into a successful person. But the right college where you can be happy and successful will give you everything you need to take it from there.