2014 1 washington park journal
Issue 6, March 2014
In This Issue
Message from the Dean’s Office
“Tomorrow’s Success Relies on Today’s Perseverance” Club of the Month:
As an academic advisor, I am always impressed
ALPFA
by my students who are actively seeking opportu-
By: Cynthia Trujillo
nities from the moment they enter 1 Washington Park. It’s never too early to start planning out your
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coursework and prepping for an internship. In fact, if you don’t start these things within your first or
Childhood Obesity Rate
second semester, you’re probably falling behind. This is why it is imperative that students be proac-
By: Maha J. Kazmi
tive throughout their time at RBS.
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It is important for students to take ownership of
Professor of the Month: Professor Williams By: Raymond Postadan Page 7
their academic careers. If you are unsure as to where to start, try joining a student club or organization. This is a great way to get your feet wet, but don’t stop there. Make it a priority to meet with the Office of Career Management so you can start honing your interview skills and polishing your resume. For many majors, securing an internship is a crucial step in gaining employment opportunities post-graduation. There are many other resources and opportunities on campus, specifically tar-
RBS Clubs Spotlight
geted to boost student success. If you need a little extra help in a course,
By: Syed Hassan
seek tutoring from the Rutgers Learning Center. Need some assistance
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proofreading a paper? Check out the Writing Center. Want to learn from a professional mentor in your career field? Apply for TeamUP! Interested in visiting another country while furthering your academics? Look into Study
Dear Abby Page 9
Abroad. The opportunities don’t end there. It’s up to you, the student, to take advantage of all that Rutgers has to offer. Also, don’t wait to meet with your academic advisor. The RBS curricu-
DAC’s Semester Ahead By: Saiyid Ali Abbas Raza Page 10
lum is very sequential and often requires careful planning. Be sure to view prerequisites in the Schedule of Classes. Don’t just look up courses for your next semester; review courses you plan to take in the future. If you have questions regarding short/long term academic planning, schedule an appointment to meet with your advisor. It’s also extremely important that stu-
Tips Section
dents stay informed regarding academic policies, deadlines, registration information, etc. Be sure to review the Academic Policies page under the
By: Jeannie Mark
“Current Students” tab on the RBS: Undergraduate – Newark website. Also,
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know when the deadlines to add/drop and withdraw from courses are. See the Registrar’s Academic Calendar for more info. In short, your success is dependent upon you. Only you can take ownership of your academic career. If you haven’t started taking advantage of all that Rutgers has to offer, start seeking opportunities TODAY. Tomorrow’s success relies on today’s perseverance! Mary Lehr-Furtado
Academic Advisor 2
Message from the Editors Hi Readers, Is everyone as excited as us that Spring Break is just around the corner? It right there, and all we have to do is survive this week! Between midterms, case studies and club events, what should you expect on this month’s 1WPJ issue? From Ms. Mary Lehr-Furtado’s “Message from the Dean’s Office”, we get to understand the importance of grabbing every opportunity to help start your career. We encourage everyone to seek advise from the Office of Career Management, your academic advisers, and all other resources available to us as students. Let’s also get to know the ALPFA, their commitment to the Rutgers Business School undergraduate community, as well as the available opportunities and exciting events they have in store for everyone.
This month, we also get to know more about Professor Ray Williams from the Accounting Department, his experiences, RBS involvement, and his advice on finding your passion. Get an update on what the Dean’s Advisory Council has been working on, as well as the upcoming events that RBS clubs/organizations have in store. Read Abby’s first advice for a student, and get to nominate someone as “Student of the Month.” Also, read articles written by our peers about childhood obesity rate and tips on how to improve your writing skills. Good luck on your midterms and have a great Spring Break! Catherine Balino and Urvi Tiwari Co-Editors-In-Chief of 1WPJ
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Club of the Month ALPFA creates job opportunities for students, builds relationships between students and professionals in the corporate field, and engages in fellowship activities in the surrounding communities. ALPFA advances into the 21st century as an experienced professional association dedicated to enhancing opportunities for students in all business major fields. As a student chapter of this professional business association, they strive to participate in the professional chapter’s events, regional/national chapter’s events, build professional relationships, advertise career opportunities for their members, organize/participate in community service events, and network with the other 23,000 business student and corporate professional members. This student-governed chapter is a nationally recognized organization that has the largest corporate sponsors in the world ranging from "The Big Four", Prudential, J&J, JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Unilever as well as many more. Established in 1972, this Association continues to build upon a proud legacy of a shared vision, mission, and values. Their vision is to be the premier business organization for expanding opportunities for Leadership in the global market. The mission is to create opportunities, add value, build relationships for their members, the community, and its business partners while expanding leadership in the global workforce. Similarly, their shared values with the professional ALPFA chapter include professional growth, relationship building, inclusiveness, service, integrity and culture. Upon this bedrock of shared values, the Association's visionary founders launched an ambitious mission that they pursued over the course of forty years. Committed to its shared values and to its mission, the Association flourished, expanding its base of operations to 161 student and professional chapters nation-wide with several more in formation. As heir to this rich legacy, ALPFA's current Board of Directors, with the support of the Corporate Advisory Board, is innovatively addressing the challenges that lie ahead by promoting the highest standards of excellence for itself and for its members. How to jump on this opportunity?: In order to take full advantage of the professional organization (i.e. career opportunities, free/discount events, scholarships, etc.), you must become a registered member. Registration is only $20 a year, however, there is a special discount code available on their national website (alpfa.org) to become registered for only $10! Please check out their website (runalpfa.org) to enroll in their email subscription to stay in tune with their local events, and instructions on how to become a registered member so that you may stay in tune with all national, regional, and state-wide events. President: Cynthia Trujillo Vice President: Stephanie Vallejo ALPFA E-Board For links to their website, email and social media accounts, click the icons on the right: 4
Got a Burning Question? Ask Abby!
Step 1 To submit your questions, follow link here. Step 2 Read next month’s issue to read the advice Abby has for you! 5
Childhood Obesity Rate Lowest in Decade By: Maha J. Kazmi
Though the age group does not necessarily represent a large portion of the American population (nationally, the
Opinion Board
What do you think has caused the drop in the childhood obesity rate? According to a report released recently by the Center for Disease Control, the obesity rate for children between the ages of two and five years old dropped 43% during the course of the decade. This is welcoming news as America has been battling an obesity epidemic in recent decades. Some theories as to what caused the significant drop in the rate revolve around governmental initiatives such as the “Let’s Move!” Campaign started by First Lady Michelle Obama as well as federal subsidized food programs that increased subsidies for fruits and vegetables. Others credit the “de-marketing” of junk food to children in schools.
Government programs The general shift towards health food purchases
Efforts to curb junk food in schools
obesity rate has remained flat), the drop is still significant as the likelihood of an individual becoming obese is established during these early formative years. The coming years will be crucial in determining if the decline is sustained during the next decade. —
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Professor of the Month Professor Ray Williams Background and career Professor Williams' career has been a fulfilling one, which he says "has contributed to where I am now." For the first ten years out of college he worked in commercial banking, starting as a Credit Analyst and working his way up to the title of Vice President overseeing loan reorganizations in the Credit Department with National State Bank. After working with National State Bank, Professor Williams then decided to take the BAR Exam in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. After working for various small firms he went back to school, earning his LL.M. in Corporate Law and Finance. Upon earning his Master's degree, Professor then clerked at the Federal Bankruptcy Court in Camden, NJ. Then, one summer got an opportunity to teach a Graduate legal course at Rutgers, realizing that he loves teaching and would like to do this someday. According to Professor Williams, "Well, that someday came four years later. I found my passion here and no matter how tired I was I could come here and be revitalized." That's the challenge we face as college students, studying to ultimately find our passion. Could you give us advice on how we can find our passion? "The best thing is to not look for the perfect job since you don't know what the perfect job is. Look for jobs that will help you build competencies and once you get those skills and see a variety of work situations that will help you find your passion. Maybe you receive an offer with JP Morgan. You'll get your financial and quantitative background, then somewhere else you learn better writing skills. If you thought [and answered], 'What would I do if financially I didn't have to do anything?' Then that's usually what your passion is. " In recent years, the Rutgers Business School has been pivotal to helping high school students find a college discipline that is of interest. Could you please talk about your involvement? "The program right now is called, 'Rutgers Prep.' The purpose of the program is to introduce urban high school students to financial careers and perhaps influence them to pursue the business discipline. We recruit from the metropolitan area, especially within Essex County. We would focus solely with Juniors who are in the top five to ten percent of their class and we have received a very good response. The class that we have of around 20 students have an average GPA between 3.7 - 3.8." While discussing with Professor Williams, I also learned that the structure of the program is a whole day of learning, where the students would take the Management Skills class in the morning and then attend workshops in the afternoon, which vary in topic, including: Business Writing, Supply Chain, Personal Empowerment and Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and also Tax. The students and the University would then stay in touch with the hope that these students matriculate with Rutgers. Once confirming their attendance and after they graduate, these future First-Year students would then take six college credits in the summer and would start their first semester at Rutgers-Newark in Advanced Standing with nine credits. Professor Williams looks forward to this program and mentions that "Part two of the program starts this summer."
"The best thing is to not look for the perfect job since you don't know what the perfect job is. Look for jobs that will help you build competencies and once you get those skills and see a variety of work situations that will help you find your passion‌ If you thought [and answered], 'What would I do if financially I didn't have to do anything?' Then that's usually what your passion is. " 7
RBS Club spotlight SHRM—Future Events:
BASE—Past Events:
March 12th: HR Topics—Professor Markert March 19th: L'Oreal April 16th: Port Authority April 19th: Geodis Wilson ALPFA—Past Events: Black Rock Corporate Site Visit
February was off to a slow start for Rutgers, even so for the student organizations of Rutgers Business School. Despite the excessive snowfall, BASE had an exciting and strong start to their events this semester. Our first two excel workshops brought in an enormous, and eager to learn crowd of students. In addition to our workshops, BASE welcomed Mondelez, and Campbell’s to discuss a real world case of inventory management, and strategic sourcing. Students were able to apply classroom knowledge to real situations, and learn alongside industry professionals. Future Events:
Societe Generale Investment Bank Corporate Site Visit Future Events: Little Red Dress Women's Networking Event March 13th, Thursday 7PM—9PM West Five Supper Club 505 Madison St. Hoboken, NJ (Shuttle provided from Hoboken Path Station) Free for Registered ALPFA Members, $10 for Non-Members "Join us for a night of networking with powerful women, fun, and dancing for a good cause!" Proceeds assist the American Heart Association Goodwill: Zumba Event March 14th, Friday 6:00pm-8:00pm PRCC Dance Room PNC Information Session—Bagels, Brunch & Banks March 24th, Monday 11:30AM—12:50PM 1WP Room 303
March will be a busy, and exciting month for BASE! We will be kicking off the month with Caterpillar on March 6th to discuss their carbon footprint, and sustainability efforts. We will also be holding our first fundraiser to benefit the March of Dimes foundation on March 11th on the first floor. Stop by for a delicious treat, and donate to a wonderful cause! Finally, BASE will be holding its first site visit of the semester at Kuehne & Nagel corporate location in Jersey City, NJ. Join us for an exhilarating learning experience, and network with K+N’s finest. Stay on the lookout for our flyers for information on RSVP’ing for this event. Message: BASE has an exciting opportunity for Rutgers Business Students! We will be co-sponsoring a headshot event with ALPFA and RFS. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to differentiate themselves and obtain their very own professional headshot. These are great for LinkedIn photos, as well as, professional business cards. This will run from March 31st to April 4th, so schedule your headshot soon as spots are filling quickly. Visit our Facebook and LinkedIn page for more information and registration. We look forward to seeing you at our events!
RFS—Past Event: Asset Management Workshop March 4th, Tuesday 6:30PM Alumni from J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Prudential Capital Group, and more. 8
Dean’s Advisory Council
1WPJ
Future Events: Investment Banking Workshop
Issue 6, March 2014
We wish all the students of RBS a great semester and I hope we can serve you in the best way possible.
March 25th, Tuesday CEO—Future Events:
5:30PM
Fruit Sale
Location TBD There will be alumni from investment banking talking about what it is, what you need to succeed, and how to break in.
March 13th, Thursday RBS 1st floor lobby Entrepreneurial Rutgers Alumni Panel March 27th, Thursday
RAS—Past Event: The Mock Interviews are the big event that Rutgers Accounting Society hosts each semester to help the students prepare for the real world interviews. This semester, we invited recruiters from Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG, CohnReznick and Prudential. A lot of students signed up and benefited from the one-on-one interviews. We arranged breakfast and lunch and provided an opportunity for students to network with the professionals and among themselves. Great feedback was received from both the students and interviewers. The students felt prepared and the interviewers were pleased with the interest of students getting a head start on their careers. This is our biggest event every semester and we will carry on with this tradition. Future Events Rutgers Accounting Society is hosting an information session with PwC on how to build networking skills in March 31 during Free Period. Another event is the IT Audit Information Session by CohnReznick on April 14 during free period, cosponsored by MISA. We are also hosting a C-Series event with the Mr. Tom Schember, SVP and Managing Director for RGP on April 28. RSVP is required before the event since we would have limited spots open. Message:
MISA—Future Event: 2nd Annual MISA Global Village April 2nd, Wednesday
DEAR ABBY DAC ADVICE COLUMN
Everyone around me knows what they'll want to do in life but I don't. I'm worried if I'm not prepared enough. What should I do? —Confused student Dear Confused, Please take your life one step at a time. It may seem that everyone knows what they're doing but that's a subjective point of view. They might look at you and feel the same way! Who knows! But if you have a fear of not being prepared enough to step out of college, I'd say talk to your advisor, friends, peers openly. Ask them how they chose what they chose and what they recommend for you. :-) —Abby
To ask Abby a question, follow link here. Wait for next month’s issue to read Abby’s advice for you! 9
Springing (DAC) in Spring By: Saiyid Abbas Raza It seems DAC is being on the full swing this semester. With the success of Chat and Chew with Dean Battle-Brown, DAC is now on full throttle towards attaining it’s motto, defying expectations, breaking records! The DAC is planning great events for the RBS community. After having the welcome back with Keith Ferrazzi, DAC will be bringing the 3rd Annual Professor Polls Ceremony. In addition,
ESOURCES: Symplicity Calendar Includes information on all RBS Club events and professional workshops by OCM https://undergradbusiness-rutgerscsm.symplicity.com/calendar/index.php/ pid258724?
CDC Calendar
DAC has a secret surprise coming up as well. However, just to pro-
Includes information on Club events as well as on campus events.
vide a small sneak peak, this event will be held in the evening and
https://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~cdcrun/ CDCRUN09/CDC_Calendar.html
will be calling upon some alumni as well as professionals from the corporate world. Yes, this event is so exciting that it forced me to buy a new suit, or, at least makes me want to buy a new suit. The different committees are finalizing their long term goals
Office of Career Management: High Performance Series
for a solid structure for Open Forum Discussion as well as the renowned RBS Academic Survey. The success of academic survey last year resulted in a change of Bistro’s management as well as
http://www.business.rutgers.edu/undergrad -newark/career-management/students/ career-workshops
some significant changes in the academia. It is worthwhile to
MARCH
mention that the first ever academic survey helped in creation of
3/3—11:30am-12:50pm Working Resume Writing Lab Please RSVP through Symplicity
the student technology center on the 4th floor. In addition, DAC will soon be going for its own elections as well. With a majority of DAC set to graduate, the seniors are extremely excited in seeing the new faces take charge as well. With less than two months left, what is to come is nothing short of exciting. The month of March has already brought the good news of spring as well, with snow storms finally going away for good.
3/6 & 3/13 Excel Workshop 2 Part Series (Must Attend Both Dates) RSVP through EventBrite 3/12—2:30pm-3:50pm Finding Your Career Personality Please RSVP through Symplicity
Meanwhile, best of luck for your midterms and have an exciting, tension free, relaxing and captivating Spring Break.
* Audience: All RBS Students * Dress: Business Casual—no jeans, sneakers, or gym attire
Tips for Better Writing By: Jeannie Mark Many companies and corporations state they want to hire someone with a given list of skills acquired from the person’s specific area of study. However, many people who work for these companies have stated that one may learn while working on the job. What companies really look for in a potential candidate is good communication, verbal and written. Business writing may differ from essay but they both require the same essentials such as grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. A good cover letter will always grab the attention of a recruiter therefore, even before starting the job, writing has now become an intricate part of the hiring process. Here are a few tips on becoming a better writer: Be specific. One of the most common mistakes made in any writing – essay, cover letters, stories, etc. – is general, broad statements that fail to state something. Being as specific as possible will not only make what is being said much more credible but also makes it more relatable. Anybody can say, “I am a good fit for this company because I meet the qualifications listed” or “I am a good fit because I’m punctual, a leader, etc.” Instead of just listed adjectives to describe yourself, use specific examples to make this adjective much more credible. Instead of just describing yourself as a “leader” try, “I have acquired my leadership skills within group projects in the courses I have taken as well as my role within the Dean’s Advisory Council.” Don’t repeat yourself. Another common mistake in writing. Being redundant makes reading whatever it is that you’re writing that much more mundane and uninteresting for the reader. For cover letters, this more specifically means not re-writing your resume in an essay format. A cover letter exemplifies one’s personality and strong characteristics to make the argument that this person is a good candidate for the job in addition to all the great things listed on the per-
son’s resume. Keep it short. Unless, of course, you have a certain page number required by a professor who likes to read twenty pages on your analysis of Shakespeare. But, even in that scenario, keep your sentences concise. State your point and move on to the next sentence. The longer the sentences, the more it appears that you’re rambling and trying to take up space on the page. Watch your tone. I just sounded like a mom, didn’t I? Anyway, no matter what you write, each piece should and will have a different tone. Your essay on Hamlet will sound and look very different from your cover letter or a short story you wrote. Your tone of writing should also be very consistent throughout the entire piece. Don’t start casual and end formal or vice versa. Inconsistency in writing makes it seem unorganized and not as strong as it could be. For those working on cover letters, always pay attention to the vibe of the company you’re applying to. If it’s a more casual company, your cover letter can be more easygoing with some catchy phrases or anecdotes about yourself. Proofread. Always make sure to re-read what you have written several times before handing it in. Don’t proofread just after you’ve written it. Wait a day or two and then proofread it again. It also helps a great deal to ask others to proofread it for you. Everyone has a different eye for things. You may spot grammar errors immediately but others may be better with 11
Nomination Form Date: Nominee’s Name:
____________________________
Nominee’s Major:
____________________________
Nominator’s Name:
____________________________
__________________________
How did this student demonstrate academic excellence this month? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ What special project(s) inside of RBS did this student take on that set him/her apart? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ What special project(s) outside of RBS did this student take on that set him/her apart? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ How did this student exhibit the quality of good behavior and/or social responsibility? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ What special characteristics about this individual deserve recognition in this month’s issue of the 1WP Journal? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________
Know a Rutgers Business School student who has shown overall excellence? Tell us! Step 1: Fill out the form above, or follow the link here. Step 2: Email the completed nomination form to 1wpj.rbsugnwk@gmail.com. Step 3: Wait for next month’s issue to see who gets chosen as “Student of the Month”! 12
CHAT AND CHEW WITH DEAN BATTLE-BROWN Dean Battle-Brown has expressed an interest in helping students make more personal connections to each other and the Rutgers Business School brand. In response, the Dean’s Advisory Council partnered with Dean Battle-Brown to develop “Chat and Chew With Dean Battle-Brown”. This program will be a lottery system for all interested students who wish to network get to know other students and Dean Battle-Brown over lunch. Come build relationship with your fellow students at a lunch where you can discuss a variety of topics. We believe this program is a step toward developing a stronger student body and the Rutgers Business School brand
Location: University Club (Paul Robeson Campus Center) Dates and Times: Monday, March 3 @ 11:30-12:30 PM Monday, April 7 @ 11:30-12:30 PM Monday, May 5 @ 11:30-12:30 PM Interested Students Please Sign- Up: Visit Undergraduate Office, Room 324 and fill out student info card, or follow link here.
Join Us!
Lunch Provided!
HAVE SOMETHING INTERESTING TO SHARE? IT MIGHT BE 1WPJ WORTHY! CONTACT US AT 1wpj.rbsugnwk@gmail.com
http://dac.newark.rutgers.edu/