2244 Interview- Ashley Perez, pictured above, is a graduating senior at the University of Texas at Austin with a major in Business. Ashley enjoys bouldering with her friends after class, kayaking on Lady Bird lake, and staying active in the Austin weather. She moved to Texas from Pennsylvania to attend UT, but has become a true Austinite at heart. Ashley hopes to start her own business after graduating, preferably in real estate or digital marketing. Below is our interview, conducted outside her apartment in West Campus.
"What's your major?
I'm majoring in Business.
What's the most valuable lesson your major has taught you?
That most things that are worth it are difficult. Whether it's securing clients, developing a revolutionary product, or just finishing college with two part-time jobs; persistence is key in the face of adversity. Too many people discredit themselves too soon, and you've got to be your own cheerleader to get what you want.
What are your plans after graduation?
I'll go into marketing or management probably, but I'm most interested in starting my own digital media company. Texas is a great place to start a business and I'll use my degree to get a good paying job while I work on building my own business. I'd like to own a digital marketing company and help other businesses develop their brand and image. I think advertising and other kinds of promotional media can be so effective when done right and inspire people to create new things.
What advice would you tell someone confused on what to major in?
Today's workspace is so different from what it used to be when our parents or grandparents first entered. As long as you major in something relatively useful, you can convince most companies to hire you for a position you want. You can supplement the qualifications you lack with quick certifications, but learning to write and interact with people are immensely useful skills that can help secure most jobs. Everything else is technical and you could probably teach yourself.
How has your education prepared you for the work place?
I'm so much better at negotiating with people and finding common ground with others. Good business connects with people and brings them together, and my major has given me the technical knowledge on how to facilitate that. I've learned how to get what I want out of a deal while also meeting the goals and needs of the customer. I also learned how to read the market and think quickly on my feet, since that's so important when making brand decisions and being the voice of a company.
Does college effectively prepare students for "the real world"?
I think so. The real world is just everyone trying to meet their own needs without stepping on other people's toes. I think business especially teaches how to navigate that. Other majors try to do that in their own way, but I think business gets right to the point. I think some majors also don't want to prepare student for the real world and instead focus on more abstract concepts that don't serve much practical use. That's useful for academics and politics maybe, but not so much on the daily basis of your average Joe.
Why did you decide to go to college?
College is the ticket into the workplace. I wanted to learn how to set up a business and all of the logistic information behind what happens in business. I could've tried to start a business without a degree, but I probably would've been out of my depth and not really known what I was doing.
Would you have done anything differently?
I would've gotten closer to my professors and networked more. College is about learning from other people and hearing new perspectives. I would have really benefitted from working more with my peers in developing my own business plans and aspirations; I probably would've made some good friends with really helpful ideas. This is the place to ask questions and collaborate, so I would've taken advantage of that more.
Has your major affected your outlook on life? How so?
Business has definitely made me more ambitious in life. You hear about so many young professionals that made it big and many of them started in Austin. It's made me more optimistic and eager to take risks when it comes to chasing my goals. Confidence is key and it often opens doors and makes you more approachable to people.
What's a misconception people have about college?
We're so used to learning information that feels pointless in school before college that I think a lot of people forget to really internalize what their learning in their major. College is a lot of fun, but it's also a lot of work for the majority of people. You gotta have priorities and dedicate time to get done what you need to do. College is mean-looking but once you put your mind to it, it's just like anything else. Just another step the get to where you're going.
Graduation is a very transformative period for many people, how do you hope to grow as a person after graduation?
I want to build something that will last much longer than me and can influence people better than I can as a single person. I want to get more experience in the workplace and network with more business owners. I guess more personally, I want to feel like I've accomplished something that can serve other people. I want to build up my own image and be a part of the professional community.
Do you have any closing remarks on college, the state of today's work force, or anything concerning students our age and what the world demands from them?
The way people handle business is changing and corporations are taking notice. Companies are nothing without their workforce and it looks like they're starting to recognize that more and more. The workplace is also shifting to mostly at home, which affects how we view work as a whole. The definition of a healthy work-life balance is different now and students now will be the ones to set the policy for these kind of decisions in the future."
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