While at Villanova, my professional identity has been molded by the classes I have taken, the jobs I have had, and the people I have met. I hope that, by outlining my strengths, experiences, and professional goals, I will be better able to create a plan for success in my professional life.
I'm Anna Schmult, a sophomore attending the Villanova School of Business, where I'm interested in the intersection of technology and business.
Originally from Princeton, New Jersey, I chose to come to Villanova after hearing about the comprehensive education I could receive at VSB, and feeling the warm atmosphere around the entire Villanova campus. Here, I've become immersed in the classes I have taken, the resources and community of the business school, and Villanova University Tech Crew, a student-run event production business. If you're interested in learning more about my education and experience, check out the rest of my website.
While at VSB, I've started thinking about my future career, and how to best prepare for it. The first step to finding my future success is to define, for myself and for others, the ways in which I am already successful and the things that could keep me engaged for success in the future.
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When I arrived at Villanova, I wasn't exactly sure what field of business I was most interested in. As time went on, and I got involved in activities around campus and explored careers through my core business classes, I discovered that my interests lie at the intersection of business and technology.
I'm planning to declare majors in Management Information Systems and Business Analytics, and I have already declared a minor in Computer Science. The courses for these programs have some overlapping content, so I'm excited to be able to apply what I learn in one course to what I am learning in another.
VSB has offered me a wide variety of resources to help me prepare for professional success, both through classes and the Clay Center. One of the most useful resources has been the VSB Majors Fair, which I attended early in the fall of my sophomore year. The Majors Fair gave me the opportunity to talk to professionals in various fields, and learn the wide variety of careers a given major could prepare me for. I was quite surprised at the applications of some degrees. For instance, I learned that the FBI hired accountants to investigate fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes.
In addition to the resources available through classes and professional resources, I have learned a lot through the extracurricular activities I participate in, particularly Villanova University Tech Crew, a student-run event production company. Being a member of the Tech Crew Executive Board and Web Team has helped develop my leadership skills, including my ability to delegate and resolve conflicts. As a member of Tech Crew's Web Team, I've also gotten the opportunity to do web development and manage a database.
Although I'm interested in the entire intersection of business and technology, one field that interests me in particular is database management. My experience with extracurricular activities has given me the chance to create and manage a database,and I have enjoyed the challenge of figuring out how to best collect, store, and retrieve data. Currently, I am working to be able to store files in the Tech Crew database, which currently doesn't support that function. This will allow us to upload tech riders, pictures of a venue, or equipment instruction guides with a specific event.
At Villanova, there is always a focus put on networking and developing professional connections, especially within the business school. I have found that professors and former students have been very good sources of information and connections. My professors have been highly knowledgeable, having all worked in industry, and are able to offer good advice for developing professionally. Many continue to work in industry, and are supportive of students, including making introductions. Additionally, I have found current and past students to be a wonderful resource, getting advice from them about the best classes to take based on my specific interests.
One thing that excites me about database development and management is how universal its application are. Every industry uses databases in some form, even if the task if done off premise via a third party vendor. This creates lots of opportunities to find an industry and a firm doing something I am passionate about, with values similar to my own.
One firm that I've become interested in is Signify. Signify, formerly called Phillips Lighting, is a company which produces consumer and professional lighting equipment. During my work with Tech Crew, I have worked with some of their products from their professional brand Vari-lite, which is one thing that excited me about the company. When I continued researching, I learned about their mission to use the potential of light to improve peoples lives. I then learned that their products were used to light the Be'er Sheva bridge in Israel, which I walked across this past summer. The bridge crosses the train tracks which divide the technology-focused and wealthy part of the city to the less well-off part of the city, and is symbolic of bridging the income gap within the city. The lighting reflects this, creating a sense of safety but also of wonder, as the bridge appears at night to be floating. In addition, the lights are designed to be energy efficient to conserve electricity. It is these sorts of projects that make me excited about Signify. It is clear that they have a commitment to creating inspiring things, while being environmentally and socially conscious.
Another firm I am interested in is National Grid, which I discovered on LinkedIn as I was looking at internships. National Grid delivers electricity and natural gas to New England and New York. They are committed to being environmentally responsible, including by preserving wetlands and protecting wildlife. In addition, they are dedicated to consumer safety, carefully outlining safety guidelines for everyday use as well as for emergency procedures online. A leak map shows consumers in real-time where natural gas leaks have been reported, while encouraging them to still call in new or worsening leaks. National Grid delivers a vital utility to businesses and households, but remains responsible and ethical while doing so, which is something that I would like to be a part of.
Backpack-to-Briefcase is the Villanova School of Business's professional development program. Stretching from freshman to senior year, it prepares students for the transition to the working world through workshops, projects, seminars, and advising resources. Sophomores take a semester long seminar course, which features guest speakers, interactive lessons, and projects to encourage students to explore the resources VSB has to offer. Topics covered include:
The activities we did gave me a better understanding of what I should do to develop my professional skills. Improving our skills for virtual interviewing was particularly useful. A guest speaker gave a lesson, which included hands-on practice with a partner, to review the skills needed to successfully interview over the phone or a video call, although many of the things discussed apply to an in-person interview as well.
In addition to these topics, the seminar gives students activities and resources to explore different majors, career fields, and companies to improve their understanding of what they might be interested in doing after graduating. Although I already knew I was interested in technology in business, these career exploration activities were a good opportunity to learn the different fields and applications of various skill sets and degrees.