Written by Jennifer Cho and Justin Zhang
Each year in March, the Canfield Business Honors Program hosts Discover Canfield BHP, an all-day event dedicated to helping admitted students get a feel for their experience as a Longhorn and CBHPeer. This year, the special event was held virtually and included a welcome by Interim Dean Lillian Mills and Canfield BHP Faculty Director Dr. Andres Almazan, student and parent panels, mock lectures, a keynote speech by Mr. Phil Canfield, and opportunities for the admitted students to chat with current students.
The welcome address highlighted the strong drive and high caliber of Canfield BHP students as well as the abundance of opportunities, resources, and experiences available to current and future students. Most importantly, the large showing of volunteers for the event was a strong testament to the spirit, passion, and involvement of Canfield BHP culture.
During the keynote address, Mr. Canfield also spoke about the high quality of education offered by the program both inside and outside of the classroom. He strongly believes that education is the single most important investment that society can make in its members and that the Canfield Business Honors Program, as the No. 1 undergraduate business program in the nation, is the whole package: a degree, a community, and a plethora of opportunities. His generous donation of $20 million in 2018 is a strong testament to this belief, and he hopes to provide every student that comes through the program a scholarship in the future with his and others’ contributions.
This year, in addition to the all-day event, the following week also offered several opportunities for admitted students to experience life as a student in the program. Called “Discover Week”, admitted students are invited to come back on two separate evenings of the week following Discover Canfield BHP to interact further with current students. More specifically, representatives from the Honors Business Association, as well as the LatinX and LGBTQ Affinity Groups, came out to chat with admitted students and offer more insights into some of the diverse extracurricular offerings of the program. Finally, the second and final night of Discover Week featured a Game Night, an opportunity for admitted students to spend some more time with current students and get one last look into the culture of the program.
Two current sophomore students within Canfield BHP who graciously served as the co-chairs of the 2021 Discover Canfield BHP event, Jennifer Cho and Justin Zhang, shared their perspectives and experiences from our virtual event:
What was your favorite part of the day?
Jennifer: For me, I enjoyed sharing my experiences with prospective students inside of the small breakout rooms. Many of the students had questions about on-campus job opportunities, majoring in subjects outside of business, student-led organizations, and CBHP classes during freshman year and as someone who had an on-campus part time job as a Peer Coach, heavily involved in student organizations and a spirit group, and majoring in Advertising, I was excited to share about my journey and memories I was able to make with my CBHP peers during the tight-knit, interactive classes. Seeing the curious and interested sides of these prospectives, it made me excited for their journey inside of CBHP to begin!
Justin: Definitely the opportunity to talk to future students. That’s what this event was all about, and it was such a great time talking to another class of capable and curious soon-to-be peers. I was so happy to be given the opportunity to share about some of my experiences and be on the other side of answering the many questions that I also had just two years ago. It was like feeling that same excitement of starting college and joining the Canfield BHP all over again, and I can’t wait to meet the Class of ‘25 in person in the fall!
Can you recount how your experience was with Discover Canfield BHP 2 years ago?
Jennifer: I remember being so excited to meet other prospectives from different schools and cities and for our cohort, we had a group chat before the event so seeing everyone in real life was definitely memorable for me. During our event, in smaller groups, we toured different parts of McCombs and did group activities together and I actually met my freshman roommate at the event! Seeing how all of the faculty members and CBHP volunteers interacted with one another, I could feel the sense of family and the pride of being a part of this tight-knit community.
Justin: I still remember Discover Canfield BHP being the single biggest reason that I made the decision to enroll here. Getting to personally experience a “day in the life” of a Canfield BHP student, learning about the endless opportunities, and getting to chat with future peers (and best friends!) solidified my decision that I would have the best 4 years in Austin. I could really feel the passion that these students had for both each other and the program as well as the drive and involvement of the student body. I knew that these were the people that I wanted to surround myself with and the community I wanted.
How does it feel to be on the other side now that you are a student organizing this event?
Jennifer: I think organizing this event brought me another type of excitement, thinking about the prospective students opening their Welcome to CBHP gift boxes, listening to lectures from my favorite professors, and interacting with other volunteers, which included my best friends and most kind-hearted, loving upperclassmen. On the day of Discover CBHP, seeing how excited, interested and curious these students were, I think it was a very rewarding moment because it made me reminisce when I was in their shoes two years ago!
Justin: I still remember nearly freezing up at the beginning of the morning of Discover when introducing Dean Mills because I had a sudden flashback of when I attended two years ago. I was in disbelief that I was leading rather than attending the event. However, it was such a privilege to be able to pay it forward to future classes of students. Preparing this event alongside Jennifer and Kelly was such a great experience, and I was so glad to have this opportunity.
What are words of advice you would share with students, after listening to the two panels sharing insights on Career & Internship and Student Life & Study Abroad?
Jennifer: I would share that the transition from high school to college during your freshman year is most likely going to be the most challenging yet rewarding and exciting part of your college career. But you shouldn’t be scared or worried because looking back at my freshman year, the CBHP staff and Peer Mentors helped me through it all. When I had something on my mind, needed help in understanding a concept, or needed someone to talk to, whether that person was a CBHP professor or mentor, someone was always there, willing to talk to me and give me advice!
Justin: I would say that coming into the program can be daunting since there are so many unknowns. However, you will definitely find your people who will help you along the way. The community aspect of the program is so strong that those around you will be your support as well as your mentors. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; we’ve all been there and plenty are more than happy to pay it forward. But most importantly, enjoy your time here. So many people get caught up in the work that they don’t necessarily make time for themselves. It’s not just about the end but more about the journey and the memories you make along the way.
On behalf of the entire Canfield Business Honors Program, we are so excited to welcome the Class of 2025! After our successful virtual Discover Canfield BHP event, we can’t wait for this new cohort to make their way to the 40 Acres in August.