Tag Archives: BHP

Student Spotlight: Stephanie Morgan

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BHP sophomore Stephanie Morgan, is taking advantage of as many opportunities as she can while she is in school. A Plan II Honors and BHP major, she feels she has the best of both worlds – receiving a strong liberal arts and business education. Stephanie has already participated in two study abroad programs, is an officer for the Honors Business Association, and will be interning with Amazon.com this summer. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, she has already grown to love Austin and says she knows she made the right choice in choosing to come to UT and be in the BHP.

Being an out-of-state student, how did you hear about and decide to come to BHP?

I did my research and applied to a lot of universities. UT is one of the only universities where you can participate in a business and liberal arts honors program and still graduate in four years. I really liked the well-rounded approach to learning and MBA-style classes. I visited one weekend in the spring of my senior year and met the BHP staff and some current students, and just felt like it was where I was supposed to be.

You are the Financial VP for HBA. What do you enjoy about being involved with that group?

My favorite part is the opportunity to hang out with other BHP students outside of class in a non-academic setting and get to know BHP students in other grades. The BHP community is one of the strongest features of the major, and I think HBA is where you get the community feel the most.

You are interning with Amazon.com this summer. Tell me more about what you will be doing.

I will be working out of a fulfillment center in Phoenix which is the size of a football field. I will be managing a team of about 20 employees and will get to try all of the associate positions, so I will get to see the entire inbound to outbound route of a product.

What are you hoping to learn from the internship?

I am most excited about the leadership and management part of it. I think that is my strength and I am excited to learn more. I also think it will help me figure out if I want to go into supply chain for my career.

What was the interview process like?

I found out about the position because they were hosting a dinner and contacted HBA about meeting with student leaders. Because I am not a declared supply chain major, the position wasn’t open to me on OCR, but since I already had those contacts, I applied directly through the company. There was only one round of interviews. The interview had a behavior aspect and also a technical aspect, with a few supply-chain questions.

Tell me more about the summer study abroad programs you participated in this past summer.

I did two study abroad programs this past summer. I spent seven weeks in France and five weeks in Oxford. All of the classes that I took weren’t required for my majors, but were just classes that interested me. I took English courses taught by UT professors at Oxford.I took a French language course and a French culture course during my time in Lyon. Both programs were with other UT students. I didn’t know anyone else going and it was my first time going abroad, so it was a great growing experience. I became good friends with the other students and also got to stay with a host family in France, which was a great experience.

What are you involved in outside of class?

I am heavily involved with Texas THON. It is a non-profit organization on campus that raises funds for the Children’s Miracle Network at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. Our major event every year is called Texas THON. It is an event where people pledge to stand for 12 hours to raise money for the organization. The Miracle Kids are very inspiring and have been through more than most of us could imagine. I was the Catering and Sponsorship Chair this year, so I secured donations for food and prizes, and was heavily involved with organizing everything for the event. It is really important to me to be involved in community service and I have learned a lot from being involved in the organization. My management and business communications classes have been helpful to me in terms of leadership and it was neat to apply what I had learned. I also run a lot and ran the LiveSTRONG Half-Marathon recently. I enjoy staying active.

Do you have any words of advice for your fellow students?

Focus on things you enjoy. Don’t feel pressured to do what everyone else is doing. You will get the most out of your college experience by doing things that are important to you.

Alumni Spotlight: Neel and Bridgette Naik Make Strides in AIDS Care

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Alumni Spotlight: Neel and Bridgette Naik Make Strides in AIDS Care

BHP husband and wife duo Neel and Bridgette Naik have taken a different route from many of our grads and are making strides in the arena of AIDS care in Africa. Neel, BBA ’05, a doctor, and Bridgette, BBA, MPA ’06, an accountant, moved to Tanzania earlier this year to work for the Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatrics AIDS Initiative (BIPAI). Bridgette helps run the business side of the clinic in Tanzania, and Neel is one of the physicians there. We caught up with the two of them recently to learn more about how their work is going.

Tell me a bit more about what each of you are doing now.

Bridgette: I do some finance and accounting, as well as budgeting and grants for the clinic. I also deal with a lot of HR and management issues. Before taking this job, I worked in public accounting as an auditor for about 5 years. I was working a lot and wasn’t happy. I wanted something more fulfilling and then I found this job with BIPAI and have been there over a year now.

Neel: BIPAI sends doctors from the U.S. to clinics in Africa, so I am working for a clinic in Tanzania. I provide care for children with HIV. I also train general practitioners there to support the clinic. During my residency I completed an elective with the organization while Bridgette was searching for non-profit jobs. She found a position with the organization, which she knew about from my rotation. It was great how it worked out, because we were both able to come for our jobs.

How has it been for you being partners in life and in work?

Neel: It is nice. We’re able to have lunch together.. We drive to work together. We don’t have too much direct work interaction, but we get to see the clinic from different vantages, which is interesting.

Are you ever at odds with each other on matters regarding the clinic where the medical needs may not align with the financial and business needs?

Bridgette: Not really, but there are times when Neel can provide insight into issues I face. Patients are always asking for things, and Neel can fill me in on if they really need them and their availability. Neel is always looking for how to start new initiatives for better care, but I manage our budget and have to be mindful of operating costs and salaries.

Why were you drawn to AIDS work?

Neel: We were drawn to the opportunity to travel to a country that needs help and has a big need for medical care. It has also been interesting to learn medicine in a different setting. In the U.S. we have so much technology at our fingertips. It isn’t like that here. For example, here we only have X-rays, we don’t have CT scans. I think that has helped me grow my skills. I also see diseases I would never see in the states. It is a good cause and our work does make a difference; it gives kids access to care and medicine that can help them live a healthy life. I feel good about myself every day, since I am working towards making a difference in the AIDS epidemic.

Your resume says you work with around 700 HIV infected children. That is a staggering number. What is that like for you?

Neel: The number is closer to 1,000 now. There are 160,000 children infected with HIV in Tanzania. Of those, only 17 percent are on medications, either because they don’t know they are infected or do not have access to medications.  Also only 59 percent of mothers are receiving medications to prevent transmission to their babies. Here there is just not much access to care. We have a lot of work to do, but that is why we are here. We have a big team here with two clinics. I see about 10-15 patients a day. The patient cases are more complex and take longer, so that is why we can’t see as many patients each day. We also focus on the whole patient, not just HIV, but everything. We have a social worker and counselor. It’s tough because death is more common here and the public hospital is pretty inefficient and isn’t the level of care I am used to. I am one more doctor in a county that doesn’t have that many, which helps. I do really worry about my patients. These are very sick children.

What are the difficulties and frustrations of practicing medicine in Tanzania?

Neel: The social aspect of medicine here is dire. Many of our children live with other family members because their parents have died. Some of those caretakers are good but others are not. There isn’t child protective services here. Finances play a big role: not only does it prevent some patients from furthering their education, but it also may jeopardize their health. Sometimes parents can’t afford the medicine a child needs, or even the proper food to help them grow. This is mitigated for our patients by our clinic because it provides all its medicines for free and also provides Plumpy Nut to patients who are severely malnourished. However, if we don’t have a medication in our stock that is needed, then it is up to our personal donations. For example $350 pays for an entire chemotherapy regimen for Kaposi’s Sarcoma, but for most people here that is unaffordable. And it seems silly that a child’s cancer can’t be treated because of $350. Having said all that, with all the lows, there are also ups. We have a dedicated staff, a teen club support group, and a program called Stitch by Stitch that teaches girls from our clinic how to tailor bags and run a business. I can honestly say that we have saved the lives of dying children, which unlike shows such as ER or Grey’s Anatomy may make it seem, doesn’t happen every day. So overall for all its frustrations it is equally inspiring. With all the problems we face, at least each day we make progress and move forward.

What is daily life like for you guys now?

Bridgette: First, Tanzania is a beautiful tropical country. The Serengeti National Park is only a 2 hour drive from our house, so we’ve been able to go on a few safaris. We can see Lake Victoria from our porch and the scenery is very pretty. Driving here is crazy. There are carts, people, potholes, and motorcycles everywhere. There are about 1 million people here and there are only a couple ‘grocery stores’ with limited items from home that are very expensive. The other day we bought a bottle of syrup that was about $8, but well worth it for our pancakes. We do most of our shopping at an outdoor market and that is definitely more interesting and lively than HEB. Since there isn’t much to do in town, like there isn’t even a movie theater, we spend a lot of our free time swimming, reading, cooking, and talking to our family on Skype.

Any advice for current students or things you wish you had known?

Bridgette: You can apply the skills that you have learned in BHP in a variety of occupations. Think outside the box about how you would like to contribute to society. You probably have the skills to make your passions into a career. You never know where you will end up. Although your first job may not be the one you have forever, you will learn a lot from it.

Neel: I still remember my TA in BA 101 told our class that our future jobs should be a balance between our interests and passions, money, and life. That balance is different for everyone and you have to find what works for you. Find your balance and you’ll be happy.

BHP Student Spotlight: Robert Belanger

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BHP Student Spotlight: Robert Belanger

BHP Junior, Robert Belanger, grew up in Syracuse, NY, but found his way to Texas and loves being an Austinite and BHP student.  He is a peer advisor for the program and is very active in the UT Senate of College Councils. Belanger was just named as one of two junior recipients of the distinguished Texas Exes President’s Leadership Award, which recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership on campus.

What made you consider BHP?

I have family in Texas and had visited as a kid. When I was thinking about schools, I knew I wanted to go to a big state school that had great sports and pride that some of the smaller schools don’t have. I knew I was interested in business and Texas has a really good business program. When I visited, I absolutely loved it and knew it was the perfect fit for me.

Did you experience any culture shock when you moved here?

In general, people here are much friendlier and more laid back than where I grew up. There was a lot more pressure to do well in high school and students around me were so competitive. I appreciated the peer mentor groups and the Leadership Kickoff event because they helped me have a built-in group of friends right from the start of my freshman year. BHP professors encourage collaboration and we did a lot of team building in our peer mentor groups. That is part of why I think students in the program are so collaborative and willing to help each other succeed, which was a big change for me coming from a very competitive high school.

What are some of the more memorable experiences you have had in the BHP?

Dr. Prabhudev Konana, chairman of the Department of Information, Risk, and Operations Management, asked me to help him with a new research project. I had built a relationship with him during my MIS class and done well in his class. I worked with him and some of the best professors in the IROM department on the project. They were creating a new master’s program in business analytics and I helped with comparison research, looking at other programs like this across the country, as well the job market for grads from programs like this across the nation. Now they are taking applicants for their first class and it feels good to have been a part of making it happen.

What do you plan to do for your internship experience this summer?

Over the summer when I started thinking about internships, I narrowed it down to energy, real estate or investment banking, but ultimately settled on energy. I started going to information sessions for companies and talking to my peers and that helped me decide on energy. I have applied for several opportunities and have three interviews in January. Two are with energy-focused investment banks, and the last one is for the finance department for an energy exploration and production company. I hope that the internship experience will help me decide if energy is something I want to do full-time after graduation.

You have been pretty involved with the Senate of College Councils. Tell us more about that.

The Senate of College Councils allows me to do a lot related to curriculum and academic programs. My first year  in Senate, I was involved with looking at integrity issues and how the honor code is viewed on campus. This past year I chaired the curriculum committee. That committee has been responsible for legislation on a variety of issues including academic advising, degree programs, earning minors, and core curriculum reform. Most of what we do is through the lens of how we can help increase four-year graduation rates and improve the academic experience for students

You recently traveled to compete in a case competition, how was that?

It was my first off-campus case competition and was in Tucson, Arizona. I went with my teammate, Michelle Moon. It was a little more competitive than the ones I had done on campus. It was really interesting because we were able to meet students from across the country and even from other countries. This case competition was ethics-focused and the topic was hydraulic fracturing, which we are both interested in. We did well, but didn’t win. It was a good learning experience though.

You are a peer advisor for the BHP. What do you like about that role?

One of my favorite reasons for being a peer advisor (PA) is that I get to have a lot of interaction with other BHP students and help them. They can’t always get in with an advisor right away, but the peer advisors are always there to help them and give them advice based on our experiences. We are a resource for other students. BHP is very student-focused. We have so many student workers including PAs , peer mentors, student recruiters, and others. Students are involved in all aspects of our programming. It is fun to work with the staff and be involved in benefiting the program and students. It is a great way to have an impact on the program.

Do you have any advice for underclassmen?

When you get here, you feel like you have to know what you want to do for the rest of your life, but that is not true. Take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you. Keep an open mind and don’t worry about knowing exactly what you want to do. Some of the best experiences for me were opportunities that came up randomly and that I took advantage of, but wasn’t necessarily looking for. It helped me figure out what I liked doing and what is important to me.

Honors Formal Brought UT Honors Programs Together for Night of Fun

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This past Saturday, students from honors organizations across campus enjoyed the third annual All-Honors Formal. For the third year in a row, the Honors Business Association (HBA) worked with representatives from Plan II Student Association and Liberal Arts Honors to plan and fund this popular event. With plenty of hors d’oeuvres, great live music, an in-house DJ, and intelligent friends, the event was a great success that drew over 500 students – the largest attendance yet!

“I thought it was a great opportunity to see all of my friends and just have fun together one last time before finals-induced hibernation,” said Rachel Solomon, a sophomore in BHP and Plan II.

We look forward to an even better event next year!

Alumni Spotlight: Kevin Curry – Senior Communications Analyst and Social Media Manager for Dell

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As the the Senior Communications Analyst and Social Media Manager for Dell, Kevin Curry is responsible for developing strategies to foster customer engagement and create brand awareness. He graduated from UT Austin in 2004 with degrees in BHP, Management Information Systems and Hispanic Studies. Kevin then went on to receive a master’s degree in Strategic Management and Political Advocacy & Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Tell me about your career path.

I received an offer upon graduation from Accenture, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to go down that path. I turned them down to go to Ecuador to work on my thesis and work with Rotary International.  It was during that time that I really fell in love with humanitarian work. I was offered a job with the Secretary of State in Bolivia, but my dad got sick, so I declined that offer and returned to Dallas to be with him and help support my family. I ended up landing a job with KPMG in their IT consulting practice. I was with them for two years and during that time, I started a non-profit at my high school for mentoring, called Common Horizons.  I quickly noticed synergies that existed between public-private partnerships and how applicable my business skill sets were to the nonprofit sector.

So, I decided I wanted to pursue a master’s degree, so I took a break from full-time employment and went to study at the Harvard Kennedy School.   Upon graduation I spent a few months with a law firm called Shea & Larocque, in Boston working on an FBI drug case which got me interested in city government. An opportunity came up for the city of Dallas to work as a Management Development Associate Fellow for the City Manager’s Office and I went there for a year-and-a-half and worked in the Office of Cultural Affairs.  Primarily, I created strategies to reduce energy consumption across Dallas’ various arts facilities and museums as part of that position. During that time, I was recruited by a group to help market a new type of hat to the hip hop community, which did very well, and helped me hone my product marketing skills. I was then recruited to Dell to work for their Services division in a newly-created social media marketing position.

Why did you decide to pursue a master’s degree in strategic management and political advocacy & leadership?

When I started up Common Horizons, I realized there was a synergy between public and private partnerships. Consulting strategy is about learning to be creative in resource-lacking environments. I knew the business side from my time in BHP, but I didn’t know much about public policy, advocacy and leadership across different cultures.

Do you have any advice for current students who may be considering applying to grad school?

Students should make sure a master’s degree is something they want to do and actually need. Look at your career path and think about what you want to do and determine if a master’s degree is the right path to get you there. I would also highly recommend waiting two to five years after you earn your undergraduate degree to make your decision. It is a big financial and time commitment.   Plus, I find those who wait generally have more to contribute to class discussions and their appreciation for the material and experience is much greater.

Tell me more about what are you doing in your current role for Dell?

I work with the global communications team, but I also work in a marketing capacity. I come up with creative strategies to leverage social media and Internet technology to increase brand awareness and preference for several of the computer brands.  Additionally, I work for Dell’s corporate social responsibility practice. I get to use some of the tools I learned while earning my master’s degree, like advocacy, which I really enjoy. For example, Dell is interested in giving back to the community and finding ways that technology can play a significant role. We act as advocates and partners for people who may be in environments where technology is not readily accessible and we help by donating technology and intellectual resources.

What skill sets are you using on a daily basis?

Communications and interpersonal skills can be undervalued, but they are super important. I have to interface with people around the globe constantly. Everything I do is global and I work with people from various cultures so understanding cultural nuances has been an integral part of success in my career.  Analytical and problem-solving skills are also very important. Employers want you to add value right away. In my role, I had to think about what were the small, incremental changes I could make that would make an impact right from the start. Face it – starting out as an undergrad, you’re likely not going to get the opportunity to “crack the case” and help the company save millions of dollars.  However, you will have the chance to provide support to the teams that will work on these projects by helping them get organized, offering appropriate suggestions on approach for small tasks and speaking up at the right moments during meetings – those are incremental impacts that will set you on the fast track in your career.  Lastly, it is also very important to be able to think on your feet and answer questions as they come up.

Can you define what you consider to be successful branding?

Openness and fearlessness.  A misperception that is out there is that companies create their own brand. Consumers actually create that brand. Companies need to be able to embrace what their consumers define their brand as and run with that. I think it is important to allow your customers to take your brand from you and tell you what it means. It isn’t about pushing messages out, it is about listening, and then creating stories around what you hear your customers saying about you. That is successful branding.

What role do you think social media plays in communicating with customers and strategically building a brand?

The most important role it plays is listening so that you understand customer needs and behavior and also, so that you see where your industry is heading.  And you can easily engage in those conversations  and do that through social media. You can also use it to mine for really good stories. Brands have a huge impact on people, but sadly many are not capitalizing on opportunities to leverage those stories to further promote their brand.  Around 75% of customers say that they rely on customer feedback to make purchasing decisions. For the consumer, social media allows you to share your ideas and experiences around brands; and for the company, social media creates invaluable opportunities to amplify those stories and messages  so that they can help other customers make similar purchasing decisions.

You started a nutrition blog called Fit Men Cook. Tell me more about that and why you enjoy blogging.

I really enjoy fitness and I wanted to share everything what I had been learning with others.   In particular, I not only started FitMenCook.com to highlight the importance of diet in healthy weight loss and/or muscle gain, but also to demonstrate that eating healthy can be delicious, cost-effective and easy.   It has done really well, much better than I thought it would.  My Instagram Fitness account alone has over 100,000 followers.   Vitamin brand supplement companies have reached out to market some of their products to the community of my followers, as have personal trainers. I started these accounts because I just loved to share and discuss this type of content.  I found that when I started doing things I actually liked, creativity kicked-in and I found ways to make it sustainable and beneficial for me as well.

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would have done differently as an undergrad?

I would have trusted my gut a little more to take on other majors that I would have really enjoyed. I wanted to be a math major in addition to BHP. Just know that being in majors you are really interested in can give you creative juice to create opportunities for yourself. Find that thing that keeps you up at night and do that. You will still have to do what pays the bills, but keep trying to figure out how to make that other “thing” more sustainable so you can end up doing what you love.