Leadership Section
 

Overview

Coming to the University of South Carolina has truly been one of the best decisions of my life. The experiences and knowledge in the classroom and outside have grown me in all aspects of my life. I certainly would’ve not excelled those far in professional settings if it were not for the resources from the Darla Moore School of Business. However, I do not believe every student at DMSB is properly equipped to begin in the professional world. Although much of this relies on the students pushing themselves into new experiences and job opportunities, there is room for improvement to properly prepare students for the business world in DMSB.

 

Although BADM 301: Business Careers in the Global Economy, is required to be taken by all Darla Moore graduates, this course is just a starting point in every student’s journey on coming into the professional world. Resumes, cover letters, interview processes, etc. are covered but much more is necessary for students to land their first job. Although a plentiful of resources are available for DMSB and South Carolina students, many students either don’t know about them or don’t feel the need to pursue additional help. I’ve seen many of my peers feel lost, confused, not knowing what to do with their degrees and where to go for help. An additional course could be available for said students to give them a sense of direction, and an extra push would certainly go a long way. 

 

Recommendation

A new optional course offered by DMSB could be directed at sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are struggling to find professional job/internship experience: BADM 401: Professional Development for Business Students. BADM 301 would be a prerequisite and this course would cover the same material but with more depth, more hands-on experiences, and a focus on getting students their first internship or full-time role. In my own experience, BADM 301 was a great starting point for my professional career, but when trying to get an internship/full-time offer, Darla Moore itself could provide more resources. Many highly competitive programs do not actively recruit on our campus, so extensive networking is necessary for students trying to work for the best programs around the country. In my own personal experience, the only way to get interviews was by networking and actively connecting with recruiters. The main goal of this course would be to give students more direction in their careers and ease the transition between student and business professional.

 

There are several ways this course would be different and more beneficial than BADM 301 alone. Being that networking is such an important tool, especially in the business world, this course would require students to reach out to alumni and others in their desired field and hit a certain number of networking calls. One assignment could be discussing career paths with a former professor over lunch/coffee. The course introducers would have a good understanding of different recruiting processes being a former Human Resources professional. A senior class mentor who already has a full-time position/good internship would be extremely helpful and encouraging to these students, similar to U101: The Student in the University, a very beneficial first year course with a undergrad mentor. In addition to these concepts, the course would focus on getting hands-on networking and additional experiences while mentoring students along this challenging process of recruiting.

 

Implementation

Putting this plan into action will require me to use all the key insights I have learned throughout my time at USC. To create a new project from absolutely nothing takes faith in your mission, visualization, and desire: The Power of Your Mind. No idea will come true if you don’t believe entirely in its purpose and your power to create it. I will also not be afraid to fail and understand this project will not grow if I do not have failures or setbacks at some point. I will certainly need help and reaching out to officials at DSMB, alumni, etc; selling my case as to why this course should be added will be required in the beginning stages, so being afraid to fail is not an option. 

 

I will begin by first figuring out how exactly new courses are created, who makes these decisions, who would it be beneficial for me to bring this idea to, and if this is even possible. While talking with DMSB officials, I’ll plead my case on a personal level and explain from the student's perspective why this could continue the growing success of DMSB. A strong group of students who believe in this project would be powerful and will also be proof to administrators that this is something many can benefit from. I will also utilize my recourses properly and connect with strong alumni who will give additional guidance. A strong group of students will also be necessary, a team who can create synergy and figure out a step-by-step process of how this is going to come to fruition. Any goal is possible with deep faith and desire it will happen. 

 

Evaluation

Evaluation of this course could be done like most other courses, if not better. Data can be analyzed based on the rate of students who had a job they desired coming before graduation. Assuming this rate would be higher who students who took this new course, this will show how effective it is in getting more students jobs. Course evaluation surveys can be highly effective as well, even if it is just as simple as asking all students: “Do you believe “BADM 401: Professional Development for Business Students” has prepared you properly for your professional career?”