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Leavey Ambassadors Program Blogs

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  • Arjun Dhalla, Mornings at LSB

    As I walked into my 8:00 am accounting class on the first day of Spring quarter I was expecting to dread the hour and five minutes ahead of me. Nobody wants to start their day off with an 8 am class, but it is something we all have to endure at some point or another.

  • Anne Marie Heywood, My Visit to Facebook Headquarters

    Last spring, I was fortunate enough to take advantage of Santa Clara’s location in the heart of the Silicon Valley. The Silicon Valley is home to thousands of startups many people have probably never heard of as well as companies it would be hard not to know, such as Facebook.

  • Sean Marks, Office Hours at SCU

    One of the most undervalued resources that we have on campus are our professors. They teach us, they help us, but there’s an essential part to the professors on Santa Clara’s campus that many students don’t often utilize – office hours. What’s so important about office hours?

  • Nick Mansour, Focusing in at LSB

    My name is a Nick Mansour, I am currently a sophomore and I am studying Finance at the Leavey School of Business. The business school has provided me with tons of great opportunities and connections not only here on campus but all around the valley.

  • Zach McCarthy, Bronco Web Development

    My name is Zach McCarthy and I am currently a sophomore studying Business Management here at Santa Clara University. I want to share my experience in my Management 80 International Business class with Long Le.

  • Marina Menendez, Events at LSB

    This year, during winter quarter I was looking through the daily emails sent out to students when I came across a posting for a finance career panel. This was an opportunity to meet and listen to speakers who come directly from companies like Google, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, etc.

  • Anna Morris, Classes at LSB

    I am a sophomore from Fort Worth, TX who studying Finance and Psychology. And during my time in the Leavey School of Business, I found a continuous theme of group projects in most classes. Each unique, but the one that stands out the most in my mind is from winter quarter 2019.

  • Kayla Muraoka, Interning in Tokyo

    This past summer, I was fortunate to experience working full time in a foreign country. I interned at the executive recruiting firm, Optia Partners located in the heart of Tokyo, Japan. My two bosses – Steven and Stephen, colleagues, and two fellow interns at Optia Partners made my whole experience very fulfilling and fun.

  • Sophie Nguyen, Santa Clara Consulting

    Upon my first few months of college, I applied and joined Santa Clara Consulting, or SCC, in winter quarter. Since then, our group, which has grown to 16 current members, works on quarterly projects twice a year. We do our own client outreach and work on 10-week engagements with local startups and non-profits.

  • Malika Singh, Internship at PwC

    “Hello?” “Hi Malika, I hope you’re doing well! We would like to offer you an internship for next summer with PwC!”

  • Will Stanco, Theranos Presentation

    One of the many things that has made my Leavey School of Business experience special is the number of opportunities offered to hear, meet, and interact with great presentations. During this past fall quarter, I was lucky enough to sit in on a presentation given by Tyler Shultz.

  • Malika Singh, Alpha Kappa Psi

    Take a left. Now a right. Another left, right, right, and finally, left. These directions are much like my college career: a long windy journey to reach my ultimate decision for my future.

  • Kayla Muraoka, My Adventure in Japan

    Over the past two months I have enjoyed experiencing daily life as a local Japanese college student and reconnecting with my Japanese heritage and a deeper understanding of the Japanese culture.

  • Marina Menendez, All about Finance

    This past quarter was filled with so many new experiences both in and out of the classroom. In comparison with my freshman year, this year’s fall quarter really flew by.

  • Sean Marks: Meet the Firms

    Apart from the quarterly career fairs that the business school offers, SCU also hosts an accounting-specific career fair called “Meet the Firms” which features a myriad of different public accounting firms.

  • Anna Morris: Being a TA for One More Time

    During my time at SCU, I have had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant for BUSN 70, Contemporary Business Issues. It is a class that all first-year business students take their very first quarter at the Leavey School of Business (LSB). Starting my sophomore year, I have done this job each quarter and I have loved every minute of it.

  • Marina Menendez: Making the Most of Things

    Ultimately, this quarter, much like this year, has been very unorthodox. I think myself and my peers have made the best of the circumstances that we were given. One of the most exciting things that came into fruition this past summer was an opportunity to intern at Apple during the summer of 2021. I will be interning on a rotational program within the Finance department. I am extremely excited for this opportunity and I can’t wait to see all that I can learn through my experiences there.

  • Sean Marks: My Time at VMware

    The first internship that I undertook was a completely virtual experience – I had never been in any professional work setting like this before, but I wanted to talk about some of my experiences and takeaways.

  • Anne Marie Heywood: My Experience at Apple

    Last summer, I was fortunate to join Apple as an intern in Worldwide Sales Finance. I originally planned to live in Cupertino near headquarters, but the internship shifted to a virtual setting and I worked from my hometown in Washington. I was amazed at how smoothly the onboarding went and how connected I felt with my team even though we were limited to FaceTime and Webex calls.

  • Will Stanco: Finding Flexibility

    When I first read the news that our fall quarter courses at Santa Clara University would be delivered entirely online I was wary of how it would go. I have always followed a traditional/old school student archetype. I preferred being in the classroom, handwriting notes, and visiting professors for office hours. Adaptation was the only way that my fellow Broncos and I would have been able to survive, and unsurprisingly we found ways to maximize the virtual experience.

  • Nick Mansour: New Experiences

    Over this past summer I got the opportunity to work at Pacific Lake Partners (PLP) as a Summer Analyst. Pacific Lake is a young and small venture capital firm that operates out of San Mateo, California.

  • Zach McCarthy: What’s Next

    This past summer, I was able to intern with CA Ventures, a student housing developer based out of Chicago, Illinois. I was extremely excited for a summer in Chicago and a chance to be on my own living and working. However, the coronavirus heavily impacted the job market and how internships would be carried out.

  • Marina Menendez: Winter Quarter Reflections

    This winter quarter was challenging in more ways than one. Zoom fatigue hit me hard this quarter and that made staying motivated very difficult. I think two things that allowed me to overcome this lack of motivation were trying to find the interesting aspects of each of my classes as well as knowing when to take breaks

  • Anne Marie Heywood: Most Authentic Self

    College students do not often think about discerning their most authentic self. In fact, most students probably don’t even know what this means. Conscientious Capitalism, an application- based course offered exclusively to seniors, offers a 10-week crash course on discerning yourself.

  • Nick Mansour: Couple of Pieces of Advice

    When I think back on my four years at Santa Clara, I can truthfully say choosing to attend this University was one of the best decisions of my life. This school and its community have helped me grow and shaped me into the person I am today. Since this is the last time I will be able to engage with you all, I thought I would leave a couple of pieces of advice.

  • Anne Marie Heywood: Looking Back at My Own Four Years

    Time away from my usual class routine pushed me to look back at my own four years. Naturally, there are more than a few things I wish I did differently. I hope my advice will help you make the most of your time at SCU. I also hope you don’t stop here. Talk to other seniors and recent graduates you know from the university or any university, really. You will hear a variety of stories and each one will help you maximize your own undergraduate experience.

  • Zach McCarthy: Few Weeks Left in My College Career

    I am writing this with just a few weeks left in my college career. It’s gone by so quickly, and I certainly feel grateful for my four years in Santa Clara. Our women’s soccer team just won the national championship, and I have never seen so much school spirit. It will be a Santa Clara day that I will always remember.

  • Will Stanco: Reflecting on My Time at Such a Special Place

    I am writing this with just a few weeks left in my college career. It’s gone by so quickly, and I certainly feel grateful for my four years in Santa Clara. Our women’s soccer team just won the national championship, and I have never seen so much school spirit. It will be a Santa Clara day that I will always remember.

  • Eric Monsur: Resilience into Growth

    With the help of Professor Cress, Nolan, and my resilient attitude, I achieved my goal and worked as a Financial Analyst Intern at Blueback Global for the summer. This position gave me great international business experience and really strengthened my resume and expertise.

  • Katie Eng: The Question of Minors

    With the last quarter of my sophomore year coming to a close, the question of minors started to become more and more relevant. I had recently created my four-year plan for my declared major of marketing, but as an incoming upperclassman, I realized that it was crucial for me to incorporate my potential minor(s) into that plan as well.

  • Laura Darza: Sophomore Year 8000 Miles Away From Campus

    As my Sophomore Year comes to an end, I wanted to reflect on how much has happened and changed within this past year. What was meant to be a 5-week Spring Break turned out to be a 14 month extended visit back home to Cebu, Philippines. What initially started as a great way to spend more time with my family and dogs turned into a constant lingering question at the back of my head asking: "how can I still make the most out of my college experience while being 15 hours ahead and thousands of miles away from SCU?"

  • Mary Harmon: My Time in Accounting Ethics

    I know what you’re thinking - a business ethics class, isn’t that an oxymoron? I would have thought so too before taking this class, however, as an accounting major, not only is the subject matter fascinating to me, but the way we are forced to think critically about the ethical issues that auditors face everyday has proven to truly be my cup of tea.

  • Megan Cherrey: Taking in All That Santa Clara Has to Offer

    On a whim, I committed to Santa Clara and suddenly felt a wave of relaxation and excitement. A medium sized school, a friendly student body, a beautiful campus, a small teacher to student ratio, and an ideal location in Silicon Valley were the initial reasons why I committed to this school. However, at the time, I did not know how much more Santa Clara had to offer.

  • Tim Cody: Engaging With the Local Community

    For months, we have all been cooped up and disconnected from the local community. However, through classes at the Leavey School of Business, I have been able to reconnect.

  • Pearl Pham: Growth During My First Year

    For months, we have all been cooped up and disconnected from the local community. However, through classes at the Leavey School of Business, I have been able to reconnect.

  • Amanda Jang: The Past Year at Zoom University

    When we were first told to move back home in March 2020, I don’t think any of us were prepared for what the next year of online schooling would bring. I, for one, had to move back home to Taiwan where I was about to learn the importance of time management

  • Jacklin Kertayasa: Studying Abroad at Home

    For me, as I’m sure many people can relate, one of the hardest parts of the pandemic is not being able to travel. I have always prioritized global experiences as one of the most important parts of college, and I felt like I was missing out on a lot while staying at home. While trying to find ways to make the most out of my remote college life, I was lucky enough to stumble across the Global Engagement Fellowship Program.

  • Marina Menendez: Excited For What's to Come

    Spring quarter definitely had its ups and downs this year. I think after a year of doing school online, finding motivation and focus within my classes was more of a challenge than ever. That being said, as I close out my 3rd year at Santa Clara the reality that college is flying by has become so apparent.

  • Pearl Pham: We’re Back Broncos!

    After finally being back in school, I will explain how I overcame the struggles of being online and in person, how to approach the fears associated with this transition, and a memorable accounting class.

  • Mary Harmon: What a Comeback!

    Moving into a new school year with the mindset of never taking anything granted and making the most of being back in person.

  • Nick Mansur: My Most Valuable Busn 70 Lesson.

    My worst fear came true in my freshman year BUSN 70 class: coming up in last place in our group project assignment. Here is a short story of how I turned failure into a constructive learning experience.

  • Jacklin Kertayasa: Back to Basics

    I’ve always questioned what the point of school is if everything we learn is forgotten anyway, but I’ve learned that the only way to make information stick is to actively use it. Being a tutor at the Drahmann Center this past quarter is something that has forced me to dig up and use my seemingly lost knowledge.

  • Katie Eng: Journey to the Internship, Improving myself and my interview skills

    I’ve always questioned what the point of school is if everything we learn is forgotten anyway, but I’ve learned that the only way to make information stick is to actively use it. Being a tutor at the Drahmann Center this past quarter is something that has forced me to dig up and use my seemingly lost knowledge.

  • Laura Darza: There’s a lot to learn from SCU grads

    I always thought that there was this straight line that you had to follow - get into college, get good grades, find an internship, get a job, and see where that takes you. That assumption changed immediately when I was a first year student at SCU.

  • Mary Harmon: Women In Business!

    SCU Women In Business is an organization within the Leacey School of Business that hosts events highlighting some of the most influential women in business around the world.

  • Pearl Pham: Finding Friends in College

    When I was a freshman in Santa Clara University, I was uncertain about what organizations to join to meet people and make friends. It’s always a hard decision to make since the people you surround yourself with show a lot about who you are.

  • Kevin Thursby: Too Much Time?

    Freshman year was a very strange year for me, from online classes to limited time to have interaction with friends. Something I always heard going into college is the importance of time management and staying on top of all of your classes.

  • Amanda Jang: The Grad School Application Process

    Wrapping up this quarter, I’ve taken some time to reflect on my grad school application process these past couple of months. Since last summer, I’ve been working on my grad school applications, going through standardized testing, getting my letters of recommendation, and sharing my story through my application essays. It honestly felt like I had gone back in time to high school again.

  • Maya Safadi: Finding Your Fit

    As college students, we’re all too familiar with the classic “what’s your major?” We get asked that question pretty much daily. It becomes seemingly such an important piece of our identities as students.

  • Sowmya Renukuntla: A Guide to Networking: On & Offline

    Networking is an essential skill that can open so many new doors for you as a student and future professional. While SCU offers numerous formal events to meet students, professors, and alumni, networking can be incredibly effective even when it’s unplanned.

  • Kaitlyn Staags: Disconnecting to Reconnect

    The quarter system is great for many reasons. We get to experience more classes, learn with more professors, meet more students, and are exposed to more academic material. However, about halfway through spring quarter, May hits. The schools that are on semester systems begin to finish, and it feels like we are on the last leg of the race.

  • Jenna Solis: A Class that Helped Me Realize My Potential

    Coming into my Sophomore year, I was extremely nervous about securing an internship for the upcoming summer. Moreover, I didn’t know where to begin in learning about professional development. From choosing the format for my resume to networking with SCU alumni, I was completely lost. It wasn’t until I found the MGMT 50 class within LSB that I felt confident in my skills.

  • Marina Menendez: Planning Ahead: Post Graduation

    This quarter, being my second to last here at SCU has allowed me to experience a range of emotions. As the excitement of graduation builds, the anxiety of what is to come also grows as each week passes.

  • Jason Leon: Getting Involved at SCU

    When I first moved into Santa Clara, I struggled to be more involved outside of the classroom. Because my freshman year was all online, I found it hard to muster the courage to attend a meeting for a club I knew no one in, and this led to me brushing any involvement aside, creating an almost endless loop. But that changed this past January when my housemate invited me to attend the SCU Maker Club meeting coming up that week.

  • Pearl Pham: Finding the Perfect Place to Study

    Walking through Santa Clara University, you’ll notice that many students are scattered throughout the campus sitting in certain locations with their laptops opened and headphones on. These students are heavily focused on the work and choose to be productive in the spot they feel most comfortable. Choosing the right location to study in is beneficial to your academic success and can certainly make the process much more enjoyable.

  • Tim Cody: Footsteps to Finance

    This quarter I took bounds and leaps toward becoming a professional within my field of study: finance. Before this quarter, I had called myself, and been accepted, as a finance major. However, I still did not have much experience within or knowledge of the field. Therefore, I found it difficult to confidently engage in conversations about my future when I did not know what I was getting myself into.

  • Noelle LaFleur: Completing a Virtual Internship as a First-year

    In January, the idea of getting a summer internship was on my mind. I didn’t really know how to go about this, but I ended up getting connected with a firm that is the sponsor of a local nonprofit from my town, and I was able to meet with one of the partners. I was lucky enough to receive an offer from them to start an internship whenever possible, which was not something that I was expecting, but I decided to go for it and start in February.

  • Ahiti Juarez: Your Own Recruiting Path

    Securing an internship is essential for one's college and academic career. This is especially important for the summer after your junior year, as you'll have the opportunity to earn a full-time offer upon completing the internship.

  • Katie Eng: My Summer Internship

    My summer internship at Unity helped me learn so much about the gaming technology industry, and the projects I worked on and the experiences I had were unforgettable.

  • Davis Dow: Maximizing Time Efficiency

    Finding a balance between schoolwork, involvements, and leisure to make the most out of the college experience. Finding a balance between schoolwork, involvements, and leisure to make the most out of the college experience.

  • Abdi Hussein: Home Away From Home

    This blog touches on the importance of going outside of your comfort zone in college and how I was able to find a home away from home.

  • Marcus Fong: Getting Involved on Campus

    Coming into Santa Clara University and into the business school, I knew that getting involved on campus would be the number one way for me to not only develop personally but also professionally