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. In celebration of Spring 2023 Commencement, we sat down with a few students to learn about their experiences and the wisdom they’ve gained in the process.
Meet Jacob Danzig, who is graduating with a concentration in Strategy and Innovation, a minor in Law, Science, and Technology, and a certificate in Marketing.
Where are you from?
Alpharetta, GA
Where did you go to high school?
Johns Creek High School
Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college?
I would not say that a person made me pursue business in college but an experience. During the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, I had the opportunity to shadow at Jackson Healthcare. My time there made it abundantly clear that business was the path that I wanted to take in college, and I have never looked back.
Why did you choose Scheller College of Business?
Growing up, there was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to go to Georgia Tech. However, once I decided to pursue business instead of engineering, that decision wavered. Touring Scheller, meeting current students, and experiencing the culture reaffirmed my resolution to go to Georgia Tech and the Scheller College of Business. What made me choose Scheller? The smaller class sizes, the holistic approach to business, the focus on innovation, the opportunities available through Scheller and its location in Tech Square, and most importantly, the people.
What concentration did you pursue and why?
I concentrated in Strategy and Innovation during my time at Scheller. I have always loved playing strategy games and seeing how each part of the game is intertwined. While business is not a game, the concept of understanding how different functions of a business can come together to create an advantage was enticing to me.
What is your best piece of advice to an applicant hoping to get into Scheller College?
I would tell you not to try to be someone that you are not. Make sure to highlight your strengths and focus on what makes you, you.
What is the biggest myth about Scheller College?
Typically as a business school, it is assumed that only business students attend class in Scheller, especially due to its location on the other side of the 5th Street bridge. This is not the case. Scheller pursues a multidisciplinary structure in terms of academia and students. Business major courses are structured to incorporate students from other majors. Multidisciplinary incorporation can be seen in the Denning Technology & Management (T&M) Program and also in the variety of non-major restricted certificates that any student can receive through Scheller. By working with students from other majors and backgrounds, Scheller students can develop further by learning from other viewpoints and expertise.
As a business student in the heart of Tech Square, how do you think Scheller College embodies the intersection of business and technology?
The Scheller College of Business takes an engineering approach to business. Analytics and coding are common throughout Scheller’s class. We are taught to solve problems and then use business cases to develop our proficiency in using these skills. Scheller incorporates an engineering mindset while helping students integrate and develop the soft skills that will propel them forward to becoming the business leaders of tomorrow.
What was your favorite course (and what was the biggest insight you gained about business from it)?
My favorite course in Scheller was Entrepreneurial Finance with Professor Blake Patton. This class was my favorite class because of its deeper insights into the relationships within the business model canvas, the involvement of all aspects of entrepreneurship, from law to fundraising, and the trial-by-fire philosophy of the class. Being able to create a start-up and pitch it to actual venture capitalists was an invaluable experience and one that I will never forget. My biggest insight into this class pertains to how venture capitalists value start-ups, focusing on both the idea and the team behind it.
Who was your favorite professor (and why)?
Professor Aaron Hackett was my favorite professor within Scheller, and he teaches Strategic Brand Management. Through this class, you can see both his passion for teaching and his care for his students. Over the years, Professor Hackett has incorporated student feedback and insights to optimize the effectiveness of his class. He cares for his students by working with them to achieve their own goals. His class structure, with real-world applications cases and hands-on practice, shows his dedication to the students he teaches.
What activities were you involved with on or off campus, and did your business education impact those activities in any way?
During my time at Georgia Tech, I was able to hold positions or be a part of various amazing organizations. I served as my fraternity’s (Alpha Epsilon Pi) rush chair executive position for two terms, where the skills I learned in leadership, sales, and teamwork played key roles in my success. I was also a project manager and the vice president of member engagement at Consult Your Community. In addition to these, I was a member of the Scheller Business Ambassadors and a fencer for the Yellow Jacket Fencing Club.
Where did you intern/co-op during school?
I interned at Siemens IT as a business service intern, at PF Harris as a marketing and sales intern, and at Amazon Logistics as an area manager intern.
Where will you be working after graduation?
I will be working as a strategy analyst at Deloitte.
How did the Scheller College undergraduate career education program assist you with your job efforts? Did you end up working or interning for one of your top choice companies?
The program afforded me the best opportunities to either work at or intern with a variety of top-notch businesses, from large multinational corporations to innovative start-ups. Outside of the weekly email with professional development events, information sessions, and job opportunities for Scheller students, the undergraduate career education program engages with students directly to improve their potential job prospects. The career development class was of particular help. Because of this, I was able to intern with three amazing companies, and I was able to get a full-time offer from one of my top choices!
Did you participate in any hands-on/experiential learning opportunities? If yes, which projects/companies did you work with, and how did you help them?
I worked directly with wYze Lifestyle in my marketing consulting practicum class. wYze is a women’s Australian fashion brand. During this project, we worked with the CEO and CMO to help them hone in on their target market. We helped them with steps to alter their image and provided them with a new slogan.
Who would you like to thank for your success?
First and foremost, I would like to thank my parents. You have provided me with the best opportunity for success, and your support has been instrumental in what I have achieved. You constantly encourage me to do my best and have instilled ethics, diligence, and integrity into my work and life. Next, my sister Kaela. You are my constant inspiration. Both seeing what you have been able to achieve and your belief in me have allowed me to reach heights I never thought were possible. Finally, I would like to thank my friends Preston, Dennis, and Phil for both bringing me down to Earth and telling me to shoot for the stars.
Thank you so much to the faculty and staff within Scheller and the undergraduate programming office. Thank you to Dr. Fuller; your passion for your students and the Strategy and Innovation courses has meant so much. Thank you to Professor Hackett and Professor Halloran for helping me take what I learned in strategy and tailor it to marketing. Your classes and guidance have shown me what path I want to begin to walk down. Thank you to Professor Rubinoff for your help inside and outside of the classroom. Fall my freshman year, you made me feel welcomed to Scheller, and I cannot say how much it’s meant to me. Lastly, thank you to Jessica, Micheal, and everyone else in the undergraduate programming office. From class registration and career advice to your welcoming smiles, you all have made my last four years at Scheller truly amazing.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
Because of my background in fencing, I have begun to train and compete in the Modern Pentathlon.
What are some of your hobbies?
Some of my hobbies include fencing, lifting weights, being active, reading, and listening to music.
What are the top two items on your bucket list?
The top items on my bucket list are to travel to all seven continents at some point in my life and to have a product I’ve worked on appear on store shelves and in peoples’ homes.