Nicole Roberts (BBA '08)
HOMETOWN
Grand Prairie, Texas
MAJOR
Management, Psychology
INVOLVED IN
SMU Toastmasters (co-president), Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honors Society, Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity, Golden Key International Honour Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, LeaderShape DFW, Connect Mentor Program, Mustang Corral Leader, Hall Tour Ambassador, Psychology Department Research Assistant
• Why did you decide to attend SMU Cox?
I was about 8 years old when I decided I wanted to go to SMU. Of course, I didn't know what I wanted to study yet, but I knew that SMU was an excellent school, and it would allow me to remain close to my friends and family. By the time I was 13 years old, I had decided that I wanted to study business and psychology because I knew that these majors would compliment one another very well. A psychology background would help me understand and relate to people in a business setting, and a business background would help if I decided to open a private practice as a counselor.
As a senior in high school, I explored various universities, but when it was all said and done, SMU was still the school I wanted to attend. I was impressed by the quality of the education I would receive, the prestige of the university, and the beauty of the campus, but what I really appreciated were the intangible factors. From the first time I visited the campus when I was 13, I immediately felt like I belonged. Every person I met was so friendly, and SMU just felt like home to me.
I initially saw myself as more of a psychology major, but I knew that a business background would always be beneficial. I first became involved with the business school through my officer position in SMU Toastmasters and the completion of my intro-level business courses. As I spent more time in the business school I became more impressed by it. All of the classes were so professionally run. The professors used class time effectively, and the syllabi were so well designed that you always knew what to expect, down to the agenda for the current class period. In addition to being so professional, the professors always took an interest in students' success and were always available. Cox also offered great resources through the Business Library (the Business Information Center). These resources were extremely convenient, and they made class projects much easier to complete. By the time I had competed my introductory courses, the classroom atmosphere, the resources, and the camaraderie felt by the business students had changed my outlook entirely, and I wholly identified as a Cox School of Business student.
• Where did you work or intern while at SMU?
During the summer of 2006, I worked as a human resources intern at GE Transportation Finance in Irving, TX. During the summer of 2007, I was a human resources intern at Skywire Software in Frisco, TX.
• How did Cox prepare you for internships?
When I began my internship at GE, I had just completed most of my introductory business courses so I had a fundamental understanding of basic business principles. When I completed my basic courses the following fall, I was surprised and pleased to see just how many of the concepts that I was learning had been presented to me in the work environment the previous summer. I realized that this internship experience really helped me grasp the concepts presented and examine these principles from multiple angles.
By the time I began my internship at Skywire Software, I had completed all of my introductory courses and several management courses. Because of this, I felt that I had a much deeper understanding of general business principles, especially managerial and human resources issues. I really understood the inner workings of the human resources department, any challenges they were facing, and the solutions they were creating.
• What is the career path that led you to your current position?
Throughout the majority of my college career I wanted to earn a PhD and become a marriage counselor. I learned about taking the GRE, applying to graduate schools, and finding the appropriate program for me. Then, during the spring semester of my junior year I took Organizational Psychology, Human Resources Management, and Leadership & Culture, and I followed that by working as an HR intern at a company completing a merger. After all of this experience with organizational behavior, I realized that I might be more interested in this field than counseling.
During the fall semester of my senior year I spent a great amount of time in the Cox Career Center where Roycee Kerr, my career counselor, helped me tremendously. She helped me identify positions of interest by going through job descriptions. We determined an overarching theme, discussed related career fields, and constructed a plan of action. Then, she helped me prepare for the career fair, recruiting events, and my interviews. Most importantly, she calmed my nerves and helped me feel confident in my job search.
I spent the fall semester of my senior year scouring job postings and attending recruiting events. It was after one such information session that I found my current position. I had already talked to employees from that company at the career fair, and while the position they were recruiting for sounded good, I wanted something a little different. Afterwards, I went to the company website, and found an SMU posting for a position that I could have sworn was tailor-made for me.
• How did SMU and Cox prepare you for your current position?
SMU helped prepare me for my position because it provides students with numerous opportunities for leadership experience. I took advantage of this opportunity and served as an officer in SMU Toastmasters for 3 ½ years, which helped me hone my leadership, presentation, and time-management skills.
Cox prepares students to enter the working world through the content and format of the classes. All of the business classes I took presented the fundamentals of the course along with the most current information. This way, students understand the fundamental theory of the subject, but they also know what is currently occurring in the field.
Cox classes also focus on the practical applications of concepts, which is very beneficial. It is always easier to learn a new concept when you have examples and know how to apply this knowledge. Because I have already had classroom experience with applying these concepts to current business issues and "real world" situations, I think that I will be better able to apply my knowledge in my current position.
The professional expectations of the classes have also helped prepare me for the business world. Professors run their classes like business meetings and expect mature, professional behavior and a professional quality of work. While it is easy for college students to become lax with their behavior, these standards ensure that they are prepared to enter the business world.
I think the most beneficial preparation that Cox classes offer is their use of group projects. In the corporate world, people have to work with others, and this prepares students to do so. In addition almost every group project (and many individual projects) have presentation components. As we are all learning, communication skills are imperative, and by allowing students that experience in a safe environment, Cox really prepares us to enter the working world.
While the above aspects helped prepare me for the working world in general, the single aspect of Cox that prepared me most for my particular position was my Leadership & Culture course. The subject matter was basically a general overview of organizational behavior, the field that I will be working in. We completed a group project, in which the teams were chosen at random, and a class presentation was included. I am sure this experience will prove invaluable because it was basically a precursor to my job. My position focuses on organizational behavior; I will be working in randomly selected teams and giving numerous presentations.
• Why would you recommend SMU and Cox to prospective students?
I would recommend SMU to prospective students because it provides unparalleled opportunities and experiences. One of the greatest assets of SMU is the small campus because it allows students more opportunities to become involved and hone their leadership skills. Students get to know one another much better, and there is a stronger feeling of camaraderie within Cox and throughout the campus. You never feel like you are just a number. Professors take a genuine interest in their students. They encourage students to visit during office hours and are readily available for help outside of class. SMU is also a well-known and well-respected school, which only serves to increase the value of students' degrees. Additionally, being located in the heart of Dallas, gives students the great opportunity to make great networking connections.
I would recommend Cox specifically because a business background is always a good thing to have, regardless of a student's future career plans. Cox affords its students with great resources for their undergraduate career and beyond. The Business Information Center is well equipped to help students complete group projects with study rooms, numerous computer terminals, many online research guides, and a staff of knowledgeable librarians. In addition, the Cox Career Center provides resources to help students explore various career opportunities. The career counselors are very knowledgeable and they're always available to meet with students one on one. The Career Center also holds many workshops and presentations to teach students about the job search and what life is like in the workplace.
Finally, Dallas is a great city for business, and the Cox School of Business has an exceptional reputation, especially in the Metroplex. Cox affords students the opportunity to learn about business in a vibrant and dynamic setting. They have the ability to meet and learn from some very prominent members of the business community through programs and events sponsored by Cox and the University.
• Who is your favorite Cox professor, and why?
I have had many enjoyable Cox classes, but my favorite professor is my Leadership & Culture professor, Mel Fugate. First of all, as a management major, I found the course material extremely interesting. Prior to this course, I knew very little about Organizational Behavior, and it was his class that piqued my interest in this area and eventually led to my current career path.
In addition to presenting interesting material, Mel always encouraged classroom discussion, and planned engaging lectures full of real world applications and examples. He always started by making sure everyone understood the topic at hand, and then we would advance to exercises and discussions that reinforced the concept and allowed us to apply this knowledge to a business situation.
Furthermore, Mel showed an interest in each of us as individuals and treated us like colleagues. He was available by email, phone, or office hours to help us in any way possible, from discussing a topic covered in class to providing career advice.