Over the month of June, I got the opportunity to be a part of something special – the Business Immersion Program through CIBE. At first, I didn’t know what to expect, but looking back, it was one of the best decisions I could have made this summer. The BIP exposes you to so many fields of business: Consulting, Private Equity, Financial Advising, Wealth Management, Sales, and so many more. Some of the places we visited was Chicago, Notre Dame, and Indianapolis. My personal favorite was visiting Chicago, as it exposed me to Private Equity.
In Chicago, Harrison Street Real Estate Capital gave our group a look inside the world of private equity that you simply can’t get from a textbook. We talked through how they identify and evaluate investment opportunities, and what it takes to build a career in an industry that moves fast and rewards people who can think critically under pressure. Private equity had always been one of those terms I’d heard thrown around but never fully understood. After that session, I left with a real framework for how it works and a serious consideration in pursuing a career in Private Equity.
But the sessions weren’t the only place the learning happened. Some of the best moments came from conversations with Wabash alumni who took time out of their schedules to meet with us. To every alum and professional who sat down with our group–thank you. You didn’t have to do that, and it genuinely meant a lot.
Two pieces of career advice stuck with me more than anything else. The first: Wabash prepares you for everything and trains you for nothing. At first that sounds like a knock on the school, but truly, it doesn’t. Wabash builds you into someone who can walk into any room, figure things out, and compete–even without a specific technical background. The second piece: your major doesn’t matter at a place like Wabash. What matters is how you carry yourself, how you think, and whether people want to work with you. That was genuinely freeing to hear. Wabash genuinely creates well rounded and prepared individuals that strive in the workforce.
If you’re in the next class of BIP guys reading this–be present. These alumni are real, successful people sitting across from you, and they’re paying attention to whether you’re engaged. If you can make a genuine connection and get your name in someone’s memory, you are one conversation away from a relationship that could change your career. Don’t let those moments slip by because you weren’t engaged.
As for me, I’m taking the analytical skills I’ve been building through our startup work and bringing them back to campus: into the classroom, into conversations, and into every opportunity I can find. BIP reminded me that curiosity is actually a competitive advantage. I’m not planning to stop using it.
To the CIBE donors who made this possible–this experience was unbelievable. Thank you for investing in us.
