Where are you going to let your university education take you?
Coming into the SFU Beedie School of Business as a first year, like many students, I had a basic idea of what concentration I would like to pursue for the next four years of my university career. I loved Marketing and Entrepreneurship – every part of it – and knew it was something I could see myself enjoying ten years from now. I was so certain until I became a Promotions Associate (now called “Pathfinder”) for Pathways Conference 2015 and attended the conference during my first year.
At Pathways 2015, I met many business leaders from different industries and professions, who shared and their stories and experiences. This inspired me to look into other concentrations and from the moment I got home I logged straight onto my laptop and started to connect the dots between the professionals’ I met position and industry to the relevant concentrations offered by Beedie. I became interested in the other concentrations offered, specifically Human Resources and Management Information Systems. The only thing that made me uncertain was the thought: “Is this concentration right for me?”
What I had read seemed fascinating, but I had no experiences in the field or knowledge from classes to support my interest in those concentrations. However, I understood that even though I did not have the experience, other people did!
This is where the beauty of the Beedie community comes in. Everyone at Beedie is always willing to share their experiences and perspectives with you! Whether it is your professors, Beedie alumni, fellow Beedie students or offices like the SEO or CMC, as long as you take the first steps to ask, they will take the time to answer.
With my experience at Pathways 2015, I decided to get involved and this year am the Director of Marketing of the Pathways Conference 2016. For this year’s Pathways, we are focusing on how business concentrations connect to business industry. Along with various industry professionals, we have also invited Beedie faculty, alumni and senior students to join our 8 panels to share their perspective in regards to the concentrations they’ve chosen. This is a great opportunity for many first and second years to explore what 8 concentrations are offered and be inspired to pursue their interests.
If you are similar to me, you may have come to Beedie with a set idea of what you wanted to pursue during the next four years of your university career. However, the path I originally plotted for myself has taken many different turns. Pathways Conference 2015 opened my eyes and made me realize my interests for other concentrations. I truly hope our Pathways Conference 2016 will also help you discover something too! Remember, as much as you want to plan your life, it always has a way of surprising you with unexpected things that can make you happier than what you originally planned! 🙂
Learn more about what we have in store for you and to buy your tickets here at pathways.beediebass.com.
Bio
Annie Lo is a third year Business student intending to concentrate in Marketing and Human Resources, and potentially pursue either Entrepreneurship or Management Information Systems. She loves engaging and connecting her friends with many community opportunities that are available to them. Annie was previously involved with BASS, HRSA, Pathways Conference, Enactus SFU, and is now the Director of Marketing for Pathways Conference 2016 and a mentor for BASS Mentorship Program. In her free time, she loves to try out new restaurants, to explore the city, and to film dance covers with her Dance team. Annie enjoys meeting new people, so feel free to reach her at loanniel@sfu.ca