Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business students come to learn, explore, and build community. As they move forward in their careers, they take everything they've learned and use it to power innovation in industries and businesses across the globe. Before graduating, we sat down with a few students to find out what they've learned and what advice they want to give to other students.
Meet Lily Glass, who is graduating with a concentration in Strategy and Innovation and a certificate in Marketing.
Where are you from?
Savannah, Georgia
Where did you attend high school?
Savannah Country Day School
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business?
The importance of learning to work with people. You cannot just memorize formulas, definitions, and strategies to be successful in the real world. You must learn to work in teams and understand people. The hardest thing we will encounter in the business world is managing people, and if we can learn to do that, we can set ourselves apart from the group.
As a business student in the heart of Tech Square, how do you think Scheller College embodies the intersection of business and technology?
Scheller embodies the intersection of business and technology by creating a core curriculum that requires just as many technology-based classes as regular business classes. The curriculum includes Business Law and Human Resources, but it also includes Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis. These courses push you into the world of technology by making you learn software like R and SQL. It is apparent that these sorts of skills are non-negotiable in today's business world and Scheller shows you that by giving you genuine business applications when working in the classes.
What was your favorite business course?
My favorite business course was Strategic Brand Management, taught by Aaron Hackett. Anyone who has ever asked me for a class recommendation, no matter their concentration, has always received this class as the answer from me. The professor has immense real-world experience and makes it a point to deliver all that experience to the students in an extremely effective manner. Not only did I learn so much and retain the information through applying the textbook's learnings to a tangible business case project, but I also had so much fun the whole semester.
Who is your favorite professor?
My favorite professor is Mike Lowe. I took Marketing Management from him to fill the requirement. I never thought I would be interested in marketing because of my ignorant perception of the topic. After two weeks of sitting in his class, I was sold on the subject. I looked into changing my concentration completely and ended up getting a Marketing certificate. He makes class fun and engaging while still teaching all the necessary material. He recommended the best books for the subject and showed us the importance of the analytical side of marketing. I learned more and was more engaged in that class than I imagined for a mandatory core class requirement.
What has surprised you most about majoring in business at Scheller College?
What surprised me most about majoring in business at Scheller College is how much the faculty genuinely cares about each student as a person, a learner, and an aspiring professional. No matter how busy they are, if you ask them for help, whether it is career advice or studying for their test, they are willing to help.
What were some of your extracurricular activities, community work and leadership roles during college?
During college, I participated in the Excel Mentorship Program throughout my four years at Scheller. I served as a coach and as a member of the Student Advisory Board in many roles within the program, eventually becoming president. I also served as vice president of philanthropy for my sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, and I was a part of the Society of Women in Business, which served as an amazing resource for those trying to navigate internships and full-time jobs in the business world.
Which academic, extracurricular, or personal achievement are you most proud of?
I am most proud of being elected president of the Excel Mentorship Program Student Advisory Board. Throughout high school, I had a great interest in volunteer work for differently-abled individuals. The minute I came to college, that is what I looked for, and I quickly found the Excel Mentorship Program and got involved as soon as I could. As a freshman, I looked up to the executive board and the true care they had for the organization, and I told myself I would one day hold a position on the board. Three years later, I achieved my dream goal and became president of the organization. There is no other organization I would rather have been so heavily involved in. The faculty, students, and mission are unmatched. I recommend anyone looking to make an impact and get involved in leadership on campus to become a part of this amazing organization.
Where have you interned during your college career?
One summer I interned at NCR as a business analyst on their emerging technology team. The other two summers, I interned at Anheuser-Busch in their Commercial Trainee Program, one summer on their logistics team, and one summer on their sports marketing team.
Where will you be working after graduation?
I will be working as a business analyst at McKinsey & Company in Miami, Florida.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you'd do differently in business school and why?
One thing I would do differently in business school is to try to learn the information to retain it for a sustained period rather than just for tests. My current professor, Tim Martin, teaches his students how to study to retain the information in one's long-term memory. I have been following his advice over the semester, and it has made a dramatic difference in my learning and application of the material. While it takes time and commitment, and life often seems overwhelmingly busy, I wish I had taken the time to use this strategy earlier in all my classes to absorb all the valuable material Scheller has to offer. I also learned halfway through school the importance of taking classes you are genuinely interested in – even if that means extra credit hours.
Which classmate do you most admire?
The classmate I most admire is Pruitt Martin. He discovered halfway through college that he had a real interest in Web3. When he realized there was not much of an environment for that, he took it upon himself to create a club on campus called Blockchain at Georgia Tech, as well as a course to teach students interested in getting into the space. This is so admirable to me because in college, most people get swamped in the day-to-day of doing what is mandatory, and they forget to put extra effort into their passions and strive to go above and beyond. Pruitt did not care how much extra effort it took; he knew it was something he cared about and put his time and knowledge into making it happen. Now he has brought an emerging industry to Tech for students all over campus.
Who would you most want to thank for your success?
I most want to thank my parents for my success. From an early age, my parents convinced me that with hard work and dedication, I could achieve anything I wanted. This sort of confidence and drive has gotten me through all stages of my life and all the successes I have achieved. They pushed me to do every task I came across with maximum effort and supported me through all of it, making it possible for me to be where I am today.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
I want to work in a foreign country, and I want to become a partner at a consulting firm or a C-suite level leader at a company.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I started and run my own spray tanning business in Atlanta.