Craig Vetor ’10 – I am very happy to be blogging about an exciting visit to downtown Indy with my fellow colleagues, which was set up through our one and only Schroeder Center for Career Development. On the agenda for the trip was a visit to four companies: Exact Target, ChaCha, Angie’s List, and the NCAA Headquarters. The purpose of the trip was to not only meet with alumni, but to also learn about growing businesses in Indianapolis and what it takes to succeed. I didn’t know what to expect when I first disembarked for the big city, but upon return I was very excited to have learned of new business opportunities in the workplace, and also to see Wabash alumni doing so well. While each business has its own unique visions and working environment, there was a common theme that I saw in these companies and in the advice given by alumni that excites me to enter the workforce and try my hand at being part of a business.
What do I mean when I say common theme? Let me use our visit to ExactTarget for an example. When we arrived at ExactTarget we met with alumnus and a former teammate of mine, Blaine Cooper-Surma. Blaine showed us around each of the departments of the company, introduced us to some of his colleagues, and provided an opportunity for us to understand the future goals of the company. What struck me about the business is that it seemed to be focused on setting itself up for the future by thinking outside the box and incorporating new techniques, and at the same time encourages building friendships amongst the employees. It is refreshing to see an environment that incorporates hard work and positive attitudes, and this is why I believe ExactTarget is doing so well. This is just one example, but I noticed this mentality in all the other companies that we visited to some degree or another. Again, this was very refreshing to see.
For a liberal arts man, and a Wabash man at that, these companies provide environments where one could thrive. The combination of working hard with others and building friendships is what Wabash is all about, and would be an easy transition to fit into these companies. Furthermore, being a senior, I notice more how unique Wabash men are, and it is due to the critical thinking skills developed in our four years and the willingness to roll up our sleeves that brings us so much success in the world of work.
In photo: The 7 participating students listen to ExactTarget employees talk about their company.