I first moved to Fayetteville back in 2005 to start my undergrad at the U of A. I actually came in as a pre-med student, but after only one day of orientation and meeting the advisors at Walton, I switched my major (and my entire career path) to business – and I’ve never looked back. Walton was a great place to do my undergrad – the professors actually care about their students, the facilities are fantastic, and it is located 20 miles from 300 of the Fortune 500 companies – I mean, really, who could ask for a better school?
I spent four fantastic years in Walton and had the chance to study abroad three times – England, Japan, and Spain (Study Abroad) – and graduated in May 2009 with a degree in Marketing Management & Economics, and a minor in Spanish (which I speak fluently).
My original post-graduation plan had been to get out into the "real world" and work for several years before returning to get my MBA. I had always planned to go back, it had simply been a question of "when?" Well, as it turns out, the economy made my decision for me. Just as I started looking for jobs (fall of 2008), the job market took a nose dive. No one was hiring...at all. Still, I wanted to work for a few years before returning to grad school. So, I just kept going to interviews, sending out resumes, and hoping I'd get a call. As April approached, and I still hadn't found a job, I began discussing my options with several of my professors and my parents. They all encouraged me to apply to Walton - I loved the school,the professors, the city, I was happy here, there were tons of future potential job opportunities, AND they offered substantial financial aid. All they could do was say no, right? And if I got in, yay! So, I took the GMAT and applied...and got in with a full assitanceship plus stipend. I made my decision then and there that I would change my focus to finding a six-month internship and made plans to return to Walton the next spring.
I kid you not, the next week I got an internship offer. I took the job, in St. Louis, MO (another wonderful city) with Solae, LLC – the world’s largest manufacturer of soy ingredients. I spent six months with the Global Marketing and Communications team monitoring databases, updating websites, revising “collateral,” planning trade shows, and maintaining the social media network.
I am now back in school, full time, here at the U of A and couldn’t be happier. I chose Walton for a variety of reasons (Why Walton?), and it hasn’t let me down yet. I knew the opportunities available to me as an undergrad were great, but the GSB has opened a whole new world of possibilities.
I’ve just started my second semester here and finished up my summer internship, which will continue into the fall and spring semesters. I'm working with Dannon (you know, the yogurt people) on the Walmart International team as an analyst (if you’re curious - Working at Dannon), and I love my job.
In addition to school and work, I have several other elements competing for my attention. First, and foremost, is my puppy – a Bichon named Gigi (or “Giggles” thanks to one of my best friends). She adds an interesting twist to the whole “coming back to school” thing. I can no longer just spend hours away from home studying or working, and I can’t just hang out with friends whenever I want. Having someone waiting for you to get home every night adds a little more stress than I was expecting, but she’s worth it.
I also do event planning in my “free time.” I’ve been doing weddings, showers, sweet sixteen parties, and etiquette teas for close to seven years now, and honestly, it’s one of the best jobs in the world. I’m much busier these days, so I’m doing a good deal less of it, but I still help out when I get those calls.
As you can see, my life is a bit busy – but that’s how I like it. I can’t wait for fall to get here (‘cause fall means football season!), but for now I’m going to enjoy the summer and the small bits of free time it actually gives me.
I’ll keep the blog updated weekly with info on how school and work are going as well as fun tidbits about life in Fayetteville. Thanks for reading! Enjoy…
