Interviews with the Class of 2006
Herbert Lara, Candace Davies
Issue date: 4/8/06 Section: Features
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To 1st years:
• Enjoy your second year. It's probably the last time you'll be in an environment like this.
• Appreciate all your classmates because 1) you never know what kind of positive impact you can make on someone's life and 2) some of them you may never see again.
• When you come back from the summer, make friends with the first-years. I know this can be tough because you want to catch up with your own classmates, but you don't get this opportunity in a bigger school. Take advantage!
To incoming students:
• Don't be afraid to let your presence be felt.
• The second-years are available and they want to help. Just like with the alums, they will help you if you are genuine with them.
• Before you start school, take a nice relaxing vacation! You'll appreciate it more once you've started.
• Don't expect to have a lot of time on your hands, starting with Orientation up until you have a job.
From my time here…
I'll remember how much I grew not only as a professional but as a human being. The relationships I have formed here have all had some sort of positive impact on me in one way or another.
-Herbert Lara, '06
Is there anything you would have done differently during your time here?
My time here has been unbelievable. I have met people that I could never have imagined building relationships with - people from all different backgrounds who have taught me amazing things. I would argue that I have learned more from my classmates, in the middle of 5-hour long team meetings dissecting marketing cases and strategizing solutions to various projects, than I could have ever learned through a lecture alone. If I could do anything differently, I would spend even MORE time getting to know my classmates, through more club involvement and through taking classes that further challenge me and take my learning to new levels.
What should the first years expect next year?
Second year is an opportunity for two things, in my eyes. First, take classes that YOU find interesting, not those that your future employer wants you to take (of course, take a few of those, too). But take that class in Sustainable Global Enterprise. Take EPE. Take Wines. Do something for YOU because this is the last chance you have to do it. Next, my suggestion is to travel. Use those vacations! See the world! Take pictures! What's $1000 extra in loans if you have an experience you'll NEVER have again? When will you have a month off in the winter to go to those exotic destinations from the movies? Now is the time to do it, and make plans early! And go with your classmates. Build ties. Build memories.
What classes, experiences, or events do you recommend before leaving Johnson?
I'm a finance person, and for me, Sustainable Global Enterprise opened my eyes. Learning that companies can actually make money by doing good things for the environment and third world communities was truly enlightening. Also, if you don't have public speaking skills, take Oral Communications. And take wines: you need to know the difference between a Merlot and a Pinot Noir. And I saved the best for last-- take a Physical Education class that intrigues you. You won't get credit, but you can learn something that you can do for the rest of your life. I took horseback riding lessons for 4 semesters, and knowing that I can now jump a course of 3+ foot jumps is a treasure that I will cherish a for a lifetime, and it's a skill that I will continue to develop for a long time.
-Candace Davies, '06
• Enjoy your second year. It's probably the last time you'll be in an environment like this.
• Appreciate all your classmates because 1) you never know what kind of positive impact you can make on someone's life and 2) some of them you may never see again.
• When you come back from the summer, make friends with the first-years. I know this can be tough because you want to catch up with your own classmates, but you don't get this opportunity in a bigger school. Take advantage!
To incoming students:
• Don't be afraid to let your presence be felt.
• The second-years are available and they want to help. Just like with the alums, they will help you if you are genuine with them.
• Before you start school, take a nice relaxing vacation! You'll appreciate it more once you've started.
• Don't expect to have a lot of time on your hands, starting with Orientation up until you have a job.
From my time here…
I'll remember how much I grew not only as a professional but as a human being. The relationships I have formed here have all had some sort of positive impact on me in one way or another.
-Herbert Lara, '06
Is there anything you would have done differently during your time here?
My time here has been unbelievable. I have met people that I could never have imagined building relationships with - people from all different backgrounds who have taught me amazing things. I would argue that I have learned more from my classmates, in the middle of 5-hour long team meetings dissecting marketing cases and strategizing solutions to various projects, than I could have ever learned through a lecture alone. If I could do anything differently, I would spend even MORE time getting to know my classmates, through more club involvement and through taking classes that further challenge me and take my learning to new levels.
What should the first years expect next year?
Second year is an opportunity for two things, in my eyes. First, take classes that YOU find interesting, not those that your future employer wants you to take (of course, take a few of those, too). But take that class in Sustainable Global Enterprise. Take EPE. Take Wines. Do something for YOU because this is the last chance you have to do it. Next, my suggestion is to travel. Use those vacations! See the world! Take pictures! What's $1000 extra in loans if you have an experience you'll NEVER have again? When will you have a month off in the winter to go to those exotic destinations from the movies? Now is the time to do it, and make plans early! And go with your classmates. Build ties. Build memories.
What classes, experiences, or events do you recommend before leaving Johnson?
I'm a finance person, and for me, Sustainable Global Enterprise opened my eyes. Learning that companies can actually make money by doing good things for the environment and third world communities was truly enlightening. Also, if you don't have public speaking skills, take Oral Communications. And take wines: you need to know the difference between a Merlot and a Pinot Noir. And I saved the best for last-- take a Physical Education class that intrigues you. You won't get credit, but you can learn something that you can do for the rest of your life. I took horseback riding lessons for 4 semesters, and knowing that I can now jump a course of 3+ foot jumps is a treasure that I will cherish a for a lifetime, and it's a skill that I will continue to develop for a long time.
-Candace Davies, '06
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