Before Beloit
Q. What drew you to Beloit?
A. I would say my unforgettable campus visit before making my final decision. Right when I got to Beloit College, I felt the warm, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere from everyone on campus. And that was the moment I knew that Beloit College would be the second place called home.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. What were some of your high school experiences that helped shape you before college?
A. I was involved in everything to discover my interests back then. I participated in theater & art, varsity sports, and the National Honor Society during my high school years. I improved my communication skills by working part-time at the local movie theater/video store and selling shoes on commission.
Q. What made you choose Beloit?
A. I wasn’t specific about what I was looking for in a college. I visited big universities, art schools, and Beloit, which a friend said I definitely needed to check out. And it was the best decision that I’ve ever made - an unforgettable experience that I could feel the sense of belonging right the moment I got there. Beloit College was the only place where the staff knew me by name when I first walked in the door and where students stopped and asked if I had questions or needed directions as I wandered during my visit. It felt like a place I could call home.
A. I would say my unforgettable campus visit before making my final decision. Right when I got to Beloit College, I felt the warm, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere from everyone on campus. And that was the moment I knew that Beloit College would be the second place called home.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. What were some of your high school experiences that helped shape you before college?
A. I was involved in everything to discover my interests back then. I participated in theater & art, varsity sports, and the National Honor Society during my high school years. I improved my communication skills by working part-time at the local movie theater/video store and selling shoes on commission.
Q. What made you choose Beloit?
A. I wasn’t specific about what I was looking for in a college. I visited big universities, art schools, and Beloit, which a friend said I definitely needed to check out. And it was the best decision that I’ve ever made - an unforgettable experience that I could feel the sense of belonging right the moment I got there. Beloit College was the only place where the staff knew me by name when I first walked in the door and where students stopped and asked if I had questions or needed directions as I wandered during my visit. It felt like a place I could call home.
Year 1
Q. One word describing your freshman year?
A. Self-discovering
Q. Unforgettable moments in your freshman year of college?
A. Getting my first design job by walking into the Theater Marketing Club led by Professor Amy Sarno in my first month at Beloit, which sparked my interest in design and creative sides.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. What did you learn from your freshman year in college?
A. My freshman year in college was when I dedicated myself to fully discovering different aspects and trying out new things. I realized that I was captivated to design much more than I thought. Also, finding opportunities was not that hard; you simply need to be genuinely inquisitive, keep a proactive attitude, and start by asking questions. I got my graphic design job for the Theather Marketing Club (known as BITE - Beloit Independent Theather Experience) in my freshman year by asking Professor Amy Sarno, “Who does your poster designs?” as I walked into the club, and to which she said, “You do.”
A. Self-discovering
Q. Unforgettable moments in your freshman year of college?
A. Getting my first design job by walking into the Theater Marketing Club led by Professor Amy Sarno in my first month at Beloit, which sparked my interest in design and creative sides.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. What did you learn from your freshman year in college?
A. My freshman year in college was when I dedicated myself to fully discovering different aspects and trying out new things. I realized that I was captivated to design much more than I thought. Also, finding opportunities was not that hard; you simply need to be genuinely inquisitive, keep a proactive attitude, and start by asking questions. I got my graphic design job for the Theather Marketing Club (known as BITE - Beloit Independent Theather Experience) in my freshman year by asking Professor Amy Sarno, “Who does your poster designs?” as I walked into the club, and to which she said, “You do.”
Year 2
Q. What are your majors and minors while at Beloit College?
A. Studio Art and Business Administration
Q. What made you choose to major in Business Administration?
A. I’ve long seen creativity as only a part of the equation, and the other components, in my perspective, are business and community. Therefore, majoring in Business Administration would complete my whole picture of education. It also helped me learn about how to run a business.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. How did your interest in designing relate to your decision to major in Business Administration (now called Business Economics)?
I knew that I wanted to further work on my creative side. That's why I declared to major in Studio Art in my sophomore year. However, I had long seen creativity as only a part of the equation, with business and community as the other parts. Therefore, with my past working experience during my high school years, I chose to declare my second major in Business Economics to learn all the aspects of running a business. I thought it could be a valuable component to support my Studio Art major.
A. Studio Art and Business Administration
Q. What made you choose to major in Business Administration?
A. I’ve long seen creativity as only a part of the equation, and the other components, in my perspective, are business and community. Therefore, majoring in Business Administration would complete my whole picture of education. It also helped me learn about how to run a business.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. How did your interest in designing relate to your decision to major in Business Administration (now called Business Economics)?
I knew that I wanted to further work on my creative side. That's why I declared to major in Studio Art in my sophomore year. However, I had long seen creativity as only a part of the equation, with business and community as the other parts. Therefore, with my past working experience during my high school years, I chose to declare my second major in Business Economics to learn all the aspects of running a business. I thought it could be a valuable component to support my Studio Art major.
Year 3
Q. Which experiences from your degrees supported you in finding your career path?
A. - Gaining hands-on experience with a student-run market research firm (Belmark) under the guidance of Professor Jeff Adams.
- Combining my creative side with my Economics degree by assisting Professor Jerry Gustafson in nurturing professionalism among creatives.
- Having my first internship thanks to Professor Jeff Adams and the alumni network.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. How was your experience with your Business Administration degree back then?
A. I enjoyed every single moment and experience I had with the Economics department. I dived into the Economics department's business and community initiatives - I led Belmark Associates (a market research firm run by students) to support Visit Beloit (Beloit's tourism bureau) and the downtown rehabilitation under the guidance of Professor Jeff Adams. I was also grateful for the chance to incorporate my artistic mindset into Economics: I assisted Professor Jerry Gustafson in nurturing professionalism among creatives through entrepreneurial coursework and the Self-Employment in the Arts conferences.
Q. Could you share with us about your first internship? What was the process?
A. My first internship was with Orlandi. With the help of Professor Jeff Adams, I got introduced to two of Beloit's alumni (alumni Sven and Per Dobler), and successfully got the offer after that. After the internship, I landed a full-time position there too. This experience has kickstarted my career pathway in the Consulting field.
A. - Gaining hands-on experience with a student-run market research firm (Belmark) under the guidance of Professor Jeff Adams.
- Combining my creative side with my Economics degree by assisting Professor Jerry Gustafson in nurturing professionalism among creatives.
- Having my first internship thanks to Professor Jeff Adams and the alumni network.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. How was your experience with your Business Administration degree back then?
A. I enjoyed every single moment and experience I had with the Economics department. I dived into the Economics department's business and community initiatives - I led Belmark Associates (a market research firm run by students) to support Visit Beloit (Beloit's tourism bureau) and the downtown rehabilitation under the guidance of Professor Jeff Adams. I was also grateful for the chance to incorporate my artistic mindset into Economics: I assisted Professor Jerry Gustafson in nurturing professionalism among creatives through entrepreneurial coursework and the Self-Employment in the Arts conferences.
Q. Could you share with us about your first internship? What was the process?
A. My first internship was with Orlandi. With the help of Professor Jeff Adams, I got introduced to two of Beloit's alumni (alumni Sven and Per Dobler), and successfully got the offer after that. After the internship, I landed a full-time position there too. This experience has kickstarted my career pathway in the Consulting field.
Year 4
Q. How has Beloit College prepared you for your life after graduation?
A. Beloit has exposed me to a real-world working environment by giving me the chance to work with real clients in and outside of the classroom, build up my leadership skills through Belmark, and take the initiative in supporting Professor Jerry Gustafson in founding the Center for Entrepreneurship (CELEB).
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. For your senior year, what did you do to prepare for your post-graduation life?
A. I challenged myself with a senior-level Graphic Design course with Professor George Williams. It was challenging yet rewarding in which it firmly rooted my love of communicating messages and experience through visual design. I was exposed to real-life working experience while working with real clients. I am thankful for that experience in which it helps me understand the importance of communication, especially when you have to communicate with people having different backgrounds. Along with that, I had a chance to assist Professor Jerry Gustafson in founding and managing the Center of Entrepreneurship (CELEB) to promote the entrepreneurship spirit in the creative community. I also successfully served as a senior class officer, during which I revamped the senior class gift fundraising approach and increased donations by 450%.
A. Beloit has exposed me to a real-world working environment by giving me the chance to work with real clients in and outside of the classroom, build up my leadership skills through Belmark, and take the initiative in supporting Professor Jerry Gustafson in founding the Center for Entrepreneurship (CELEB).
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
Q. For your senior year, what did you do to prepare for your post-graduation life?
A. I challenged myself with a senior-level Graphic Design course with Professor George Williams. It was challenging yet rewarding in which it firmly rooted my love of communicating messages and experience through visual design. I was exposed to real-life working experience while working with real clients. I am thankful for that experience in which it helps me understand the importance of communication, especially when you have to communicate with people having different backgrounds. Along with that, I had a chance to assist Professor Jerry Gustafson in founding and managing the Center of Entrepreneurship (CELEB) to promote the entrepreneurship spirit in the creative community. I also successfully served as a senior class officer, during which I revamped the senior class gift fundraising approach and increased donations by 450%.
After Beloit
Q. What is your current position, and could you walk us through your typical day at work?
A. I’m currently working as an Associate Partner at IBM. My main task is to reshape how large companies operate and how they interact with consumers. I get paid by IBM but consult for enterprises in media & entertainment, energy & utilities, and telecom.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
What is your current job? Could you briefly tell us about your role in terms of your responsibilities and day-to-day tasks?
I am currently working as an Associate Partner at IBM. I mainly work as a consultant for enterprises in various industries to help reshape how they operate and interact with consumers. A part of my job also includes leading large and complex teams since I closely work with C-Suite executives to rethink their strategies around digital engagement.
As an alum, what piece of advice would you give to current students?
Communication is the key. Be fearless in your conversation with other people. Networking is not just about professional events to hand out business cards. Networking is about 20-min coffee chats where you ask people about their lives, hopes, and dreams to understand if what they do is interesting to you and make suggestions on how you might help them.
A. I’m currently working as an Associate Partner at IBM. My main task is to reshape how large companies operate and how they interact with consumers. I get paid by IBM but consult for enterprises in media & entertainment, energy & utilities, and telecom.
Scroll down to read our full interview with Aaron
What is your current job? Could you briefly tell us about your role in terms of your responsibilities and day-to-day tasks?
I am currently working as an Associate Partner at IBM. I mainly work as a consultant for enterprises in various industries to help reshape how they operate and interact with consumers. A part of my job also includes leading large and complex teams since I closely work with C-Suite executives to rethink their strategies around digital engagement.
As an alum, what piece of advice would you give to current students?
Communication is the key. Be fearless in your conversation with other people. Networking is not just about professional events to hand out business cards. Networking is about 20-min coffee chats where you ask people about their lives, hopes, and dreams to understand if what they do is interesting to you and make suggestions on how you might help them.