Do You Have Any Advice For Students?

Invest in yourself. Think about what feeds your passion and purpose moving forward.

Your passion can come from other things besides your job and career, but it really helps if they’re aligned. Especially since you spend so much time working.

I’m thankful every day that I found my way to being a college professor. And as I said, it wasn't where I started nor where I thought I was going as an undergraduate.

I know this can be stressful. Like, oh my God, I keep being told I have to find my purpose.

You don’t need to find it right away, and you definitely don’t need to have everything figured out when you’re 22. Take your time, have lots of different experiences, and see where that emerges. Don't get fooled that the various paths that others define as success are the paths for you.

I worry about that for both our undergrads and our MBAs that we get pulled into certain trajectories that are viewed as “where the top students go”. I have so many stories of friends or former students that went the non-traditional route and have absolutely flourished and succeeded by every measure.

And they didn't play that game that so many of our students do. And there's nothing against that – you can have an amazing career pursuing those kinds of prestigious jobs.

But it clearly is not the only way.