The BHP office is currently taking applications for the roles of Peer Advisor and Peer Mentor. These two positions are essential to the program and are a great way to get more involved, gain skills and help others! Read more about the experiences of Erika Rodriguez and Bethany Rolan below. Applications for these positions are due this Wednesday, March 22nd to the BHP office no later than 5 pm. Check your email or stop by the office for an application.
Peer Mentor – Erika Rodrigues
Why did you apply to be a Peer Mentor?
Throughout high school and college, mentoring has always been something that I really enjoyed. It seemed natural to me to apply to be a Peer Mentor. My own peer mentor, Amy, had a big effect on my life freshman year. The small things she did for us, like cooking us dinner or bringing us cookies after the MIS midterm, meant a lot to me. I went into BHP and UT not really knowing very many people, so knowing that Amy was there to be a guide for my first year was extremely reassuring. I wanted to offer the incoming freshmen the same chances and reassurance that Amy gave me.
Why (or to whom) would you recommend applying for this position?
If you think that you’d never in a million years be cool enough or accomplished enough to be a peer mentor, I want you to apply. I didn’t think that I fit the mold of what it meant to be a Business Honors student. I wasn’t involved in HBA, wasn’t really involved in BHP in general, and most definitely wasn’t involved in anything business-related. And while there are freshmen that come in knowing exactly what kind of business they want to do, there are so many that don’t even know quite why they’re here. Providing insight from a different perspective is almost always reassuring to the freshmen, as so many of them have little to no idea of what they want to do in the future. Your differences make you unique, and that is an idea that is so important to impress upon the freshmen. On the flip side, while diversity is important, what ultimately matters more is how much you care about the freshmen. So don’t not apply because you fit the mold or you don’t fit the mold. Apply because you want to give back to BHP, and because you care about how you can impact the future students of this program.
Any challenges or unexpected parts of the job?
I couldn’t have anticipated how much I would change over the course of one semester of being Peer Mentor. Getting to know myself and others within the context of the PM program translates so easily to other areas of my life and has made me much more confident in the pursuit of what I want to do. Along those lines, being a PM has also reminded me of the importance of friendships. Before, I would prioritize other things, but I’ve come to realize that our most valuable resources is each other – and we should take advantage of that as much as we can.
Peer Advisor – Bethany Rolan
Why did you apply to be a Peer Advisor?
During my freshman year, I always enjoyed meeting with the academic advisors. I wanted an on-campus job, and thought it would be fun to help other students plan their schedules. I didn’t realize how much I would truly love getting to be involved in planning programming, events, and initiatives with the entire office staff. The Peer Advisors get to know our six person staff better than most students. The staff is an invaluable resources and also a great group of people, and I am so glad I get to work with them each week.
Why (or to whom) would you recommend applying for this position?
I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys planning their classes out semesters in advance, and to anyone who likes people and is patient! The PA role is first and foremost a customer service role because PAs serve as the face of BHP to anyone who comes into the office or calls on the phone. Our first priority is to give our guests (in person or on the phone) a great impression of BHP, and that often takes patience. People who love being a PA, and are good at the job, also have a lot of Microsoft Office skills and are detail-oriented!
What have you enjoyed most about the role?
I have really enjoyed being one of the first students the staff will talk to about new ideas. The fact that the staff trusts the PAs, and wants our input, really speaks to how student-focused BHP is. Being the first-line of student voices and giving input for new programming and initiatives to benefit the entire BHP community has been very rewarding!
“’Be the kind of person your dog thinks you are’ ~Robert Prentice” I read as I cracked open my BHP-customized fortune cookie, a part of a playful initiative to encourage ethical behavior at McCombs. Not only is that advice humorous, but credible– If anyone should be fortune-telling over ethics, it is Dr. Robert Prentice, director of BHP, 37-year running professor of Business Law and Ethics, behavioral ethics expert, and dog enthusiast. This week, I sat down with him to find out more about his career, background, and joys in life.
Currently, only BHP seniors have the privilege of learning from Douglas Hannah in class, but that is about to change. Dr. Hannah currently teaches the BHP capstone course MAN 374H, which focuses on business strategy. All BHP students take MAN 374H before graduating, and if you are in Dr. Hannah’s section of the class, studying strategy includes tinker toys and lots of chocolate. Starting in the fall of 2017, sophomore students will also get to enjoy Dr. Hannah’s dynamic and engaging teaching style. Dr. Hannah is developing a new course for first-semester BHP sophomores that will focus on entrepreneurship and creativity. He hopes the class will be a gateway to introduce student leaders to all of the entrepreneurship course offerings, resources, opportunities, and student organizations on campus. The course will include lessons on idea creation and how to turn an idea into a company. According to Hannah, the fundamental skill of entrepreneurship is “how to see something no one else has seen and convince others that it is a good idea.”