I am an American Studies Major and Media Studies and Management Studies concentrator. In my American Studies major, I have had the opportunity to study American culture, how America impacts other parts of the world, and how America is changing. Seeing how I hope to lead businesses within America, it is important for me to have an understanding of American culture. In Media Studies, I have learned how to interpret and create media in a critical manner. I have learned how to communicate to the masses, which will help me when I need to get points across to large groups of people in the future. My Management Studies concentration relates heavily to my proposed major. In the concentration, I have learned more about the strategy of managing a business, but within my major I have learned more of the social aspects of being a business leader in addition to further analytical skills.
In this major, I have courses from nine different departments. They span from Economics to American Studies to Religion. The course is not primarily Management Studies courses conglomerated into a major, rather they are courses that may not initially be thought of as Management Studies courses that are helping me refine myself further as a leader. I will have learned everything from R coding language to how to write a hard news brief. Business leaders need an understanding of many different topics to best lead, therefore by having a well rounded major I will better prepare myself for being a business leader in the future.
St. Olaf’s mission is to…
- Excel in the liberal arts- By the time I complete this major, I will have taken classes that model the liberal arts. I will learn about humanities and sciences, which will in turn allow me to bring the skills forth in a real world setting such as internships and jobs.
- To examine faith and values- In this major, I examine faith and hope to understand how religion and culture or the values of societies impact the way in which people lead and follow. It will allow me to be purpose driven and better understand the communities that I lead in the future
- To be an inclusive community- This is modeled in my experiential learning component. In the organizations that I have led thus far, I have hoped to create an inclusive space where all voices are heard or recognized.
- To explore meaningful vocation- Through the experiential learning component of my major, I have been able to discover that I feel called to lead. I have felt this for a long time and St. Olaf has solidified this belief. As I have learned more and more about what being a leader truly means, the further I have felt compelled to practice leadership and become a leader within my community
- To be a globally engaged community- Due to the resources of my family and St. Olaf College, I will be able to have studied leadership across 3 different continents by the time I complete this major. I will have interned in South Africa, studied in New Zealand, and combined the experiences of both my studies and internship to become a leader in America. I have connected with leadership on a global level and found ways to be globally engaged.
Why does this major make sense for you?
I am interested in being a Business Leadership major because throughout my entire life I have been told that I am a leader and I seek to continue leading people in a business setting. In elementary school, my teachers were always complementary of my innate leadership abilities. As I progressed through elementary school, I was selected to be in leadership positions like being a chapel leader and a 5th grade student leader. In middle school, I began taking on more leadership positions where I could see my impact like being a peer minister at my church and being a part of student council. In high school, I was exposed to further leadership experiences where I refined my leadership skills, managed budgets, and led groups. In many different parts of my life, I was in leadership roles including church, skiing, and academics. Now, as I have been in college, I have seen my leadership skills and abilities flourish. I am the President of my 150 person service and leadership fraternity, I have managed and led large scale projects like the Commencement Week Illumination Ceremony and Major Declaration day, I have led activities for the entire student body on the Student Activities Committee, in addition to many other projects.
At St. Olaf, I have been able to define myself as a leader. When coming to St. Olaf, I was given the Service and Leadership scholarship. During my time on campus I have been nominated for St. Olaf’s Emerging Leader Award and the Established Leader Award. I have become the President of a service and leadership fraternity and I have
In my life, I want to be a leader. By being a Business Leadership major, I hope to further refine my skills and abilities. I hope to understand American cultures and other global cultures understanding where those cultures fit in business. I want to learn how to lead in the digital age, understand strategic thinking, learn effective communication, and analytical business skills. Strong leadership is imperative for any business. I hope to develop refined skills which I can bring into the “real world” and apply throughout my life.