Category Archives: Student Profiles

Aidan Christensen

For rising sophomore Aidan Christensen, Canfield BHP is all about the community. While he has yet to firmly decide on a career path, Aidan knows the friends he has made in the program–whether through studying abroad or getting involved in a finance organization–will help him achieve his career goals. In today’s blog post, we asked him to reflect on how this community has helped him in his professional development. 

Read on to learn more about Aidan’s career aspirations!

As a UT student, how have you gotten involved on campus this past year to pursue your goals?

Over the course of my freshman year, I have made sure to take advantage of the countless opportunities offered to me through events like organization fairs and tabling at the beginning of each semester. Through these, I was able to learn about the Philanthropy Investment Team (PIT), a finance organization where I currently serve as a senior analyst. PIT is a subsidiary within the University Securities Investment Team, and I cannot explain how much I’ve learned through only one year of being a part of it. I love PIT so much because through its curriculum, I’ve learned concepts ranging from accounting to being able to calculate how much impact a charity has made on the world. With the things I’ve taken away just from my freshman year in this organization, I look forward to the chance of working in consulting or private equity.

What type of career are you interested in?

I am interested mainly in a career in consulting. I love the idea of being able to work on a variety of cases that may require different skills and knowledge for each, as I’m the type of person who likes constantly being on the go, trying new things, and learning as much as possible. The aspect of working with people and meeting personalities that span all across the board is also very intriguing for me. I love collaborating with people, and I believe every new person I meet opens up countless doors of opportunity. 

How has Canfield BHP helped guide you toward meeting your career goals?  

Being in Canfield BHP has helped guide me in so many ways, but especially when it comes to figuring out how I want to spend my life after my undergraduate experience. I would say the people in Canfield BHP have contributed the most impact towards meeting my career goals thus far. A program with students from all over the nation is bound to create lasting friendships, but it’s the opportunities and uplifting culture that these students bring that truly has left the most impact on me. I have my Canfield BHP friends to thank for most of the opportunities in my life today.

What is your favorite memory with your Canfield BHP community?

While retreat is a top contender, I would say my favorite memory with my Canfield BHP community is actually happening right now on my study abroad trip in Copenhagen. Through these past few weeks, I have gotten so much closer with my Canfield BHP peers and friends, and it’s thanks to the countless coffee trips, dinner dates, and study sessions. I think you really get to know people when you live with them, and I have gotten to know everyone on a personal level, which has made for tight-knit bonds that I hope will last for a long time. I will say, going to karaoke with my friends here has been a stand out moment as now I finally know everyone’s go-to song.

What do you hope to accomplish on the Forty Acres for the next three years?

For these next three years, I hope to do more for the LGBTQ+ community, but specifically for McCombs and particularly Canfield BHP. Throughout my freshman year, I felt that there were not a lot of resources for Queer Business students. I want more light shined on LGBTQ recruiting events and conferences for business students, and my ultimate goal is to start a queer committee within the program. I want future students, especially in Canfield BHP, to feel seen and heard within the business field, as it can be a daunting environment at times. If I can provide a plethora of resources, and uplift the voices of future queer students/professionals working in business, then I’ll be perfectly content with what I accomplished on the Forty Acres.

If you would like to learn more about the Canfield BHP LGBTQ+ Affinity Group or LGBTQ+ resources at McCombs, please feel free to contact us.

Shreya Komire

As a freshman student this past school year, Shreya gained firsthand experience interacting with Canfield BHP’s extensive network of alumni and corporate recruiters. Her time in Canfield BHP and its official student organization, Honors Business Association, have guided Shreya through her career exploration and helped her earn an internship in the finance industry.

Read on to learn more about Shreya’s freshman year experience, her career exploration, and her advice for incoming freshman students!

1.) How did you get involved with the Canfield BHP community as a freshman?

I got involved with the Canfield BHP community through the Honors Business Association (HBA) by participating on the corporate relations committee. The committee gave me the opportunity to not only meet other Canfield BHP students, but even plan events for the Canfield BHP community.

2.) How have you interacted with Canfield BHP alumni over the past year?

I have interacted with Canfield BHP alumni by attending and hosting HBA events and meetings. Many of the companies who are HBA corporate sponsors bring their employees who are Canfield BHP alumni, so I have had the opportunity to interact and network with Canfield BHP alumni one-on-one at HBA general meetings. Attending HBA events like the Annual Company Dinner (while also planning it!) has given me the opportunity to interact with some alumni over dinner and learn more about their Canfield BHP journey. I also recently hosted an HBA event, and through that I met with quite a few Canfield BHP alumni to invite them to our event.

3.) How has Canfield BHP helped you in your career exploration and prepared you for the professional world?

Canfield BHP has helped me in my career exploration and prepared me for the professional world by giving me insight into different careers and industries. Canfield BHP has classes and events that have opened my eyes about recruiting, networking, interviewing, and interning. For example, through the Professional Development and Career Planning Honors class (BA 101H), I had the opportunity to learn about the various recruitment processes specific to different industries. Having insight into the recruitment process for finance, for example, helped me determine the preparation I needed to do going into the interview stage, which led me to land a 2024 summer internship at a financial corporation. Gaining that valuable insight has been significant to understanding the intricacies of the recruitment/networking process and learning what workplace etiquette looks like.

4.) As the Corporate Relations VP for the Honors Business Association, how are you planning to help connect Canfield BHP students to corporate recruiters during the upcoming school year?

I’m planning to help connect Canfield BHP students to corporate recruiters by not only bringing on a diverse array of corporate sponsors, but hosting various corporate events. I hope to host social events and networking events for Canfield BHP students to connect with corporate recruiters in a more intimate setting. An idea that I hope to further expand on this year is working to highlight career opportunities that connect students’ passions with their career aspirations, whether that be in the entertainment, sports, retail, healthcare, law, startup, service, FinTech, etc. industries. My goal is to give Canfield BHP students more exposure to the networking and recruitment process by trying to connect students’ passions with their futures, and I hope the events and meetings we put on can help bridge that gap!

5.) What was your favorite memory from your freshman year at UT Austin?

My favorite memory from my freshman year at UT Austin was attending the Canfield BHP Leadership Kickoff. Although I was nervous to attend the retreat, by the end of the trip, I had made new friends and had a whole new set of experiences. The Leadership Kickoff ended up being a great time to have fun playing the games, compete with other students, and build genuine connections with our respective groups. As a result of the kickoff, my group had built a bond that carried over into our class, making each interaction in the classroom just as memorable.

6.) What advice do you have for incoming freshman students to help them make the most of their Canfield BHP experience?

My advice for incoming freshman students to help them make the most of their Canfield BHP experience is to take advantage of opportunities and try new things. There are many unknowns coming into freshman year and, at times, the loads of resources that are available may be overwhelming. Taking the time to explore different opportunities whether that be related to student organizations or career aspirations is beneficial to make the most of the Canfield BHP experience. Exploring all opportunities will help freshmen not only find their passions, but meet lots of their fellow Canfield BHPeers, who might just become their friends!

Soumil Voma

After his first year in the Texas Computer Science and Business Honors (Texas CSB) program, Soumil Voma is still busy exploring different career paths. As a part of that career exploration, Soumil has become an active member of a consulting-focused student organization and has spent time networking within the Canfield BHP community.

Read on to learn more about Soumil’s extracurricular activities and career aspirations!

1.) How did you first become interested in consulting?

Going into my freshman year, I didn’t really know what consulting was. However, something that I was really passionate about in high school was helping out my community however I could. As a result, I was very involved in non-profit organizations. Through the exploration process of the various student organizations on campus, I found Texas 180 Degrees Consulting (DC). Texas 180 DC is a pro bono organization that makes positive strides for social change in the community by partnering with non-profit organizations. After attending info sessions and coffee chats, this organization seemed like a perfect fit for my interests. Then, following a successful recruitment process, I was able to learn so much about what consulting is and how it matches my strengths. Through impactful client work and getting to know aspiring consultants within the organization, I realized that consulting is the opportunity to make a difference in the world. Consulting allows you to work with various companies while providing practical advice to solve their business problems using innovative solutions. And through these efforts, you are ultimately helping out the customers of the respective client indirectly, which allows you to make a difference in the world. This is how I knew I wanted to pursue a career in consulting.

2.) How have you explored your interest in consulting as a Canfield BHP student?

The Canfield Business Honors Program provides students with ample resources to thrive in the future. One major aspect is the Canfield BHP community. The program contains highly motivated and driven students, which motivates you to be the best you can be. In addition, Canfield BHP alumni have gone on to work at great places, so companies want to attract the students in the program. Furthermore, the community has allowed me to easily connect with upperclassmen and learn more about the consulting industry in general. Also, there are a plethora of different student organizations on campus to make a real difference. Texas 180 DC has allowed me to actively participate in several client projects, where I have been able to provide strategy recommendations related to marketing techniques and corporate leadership. Another important aspect is the resources offered to succeed. I have had an opportunity to schedule meetings with career coaches in order to learn more about what I need to do to succeed in the consulting industry and how I can get there. In addition, there were several info sessions, coffee chats, and career fair events that the McCombs BBA team organized, which made it a seamless experience to explore the various different companies.

3.) How have your courses prepared you for networking and professional development opportunities, specifically within the consulting industry?

The Canfield Business Honors Program does a great job at making sure that students during their freshman year learn the fundamentals skills to succeed. Business Communication (BA 324H) has taught me valuable lessons with regard to writing etiquette and digital professionalism, which have allowed me to interact with company employees with ease. In addition, Professional Development and Career Planning (BA 101H) and Leadership Challenges & Innovation (MAN 101H) have allowed me to develop valuable skills, such as building resumes and cover letters, learning about recruiting strategies and business etiquette, and figuring out the best career path for me.

4.) How did your experience with Accenture prepare you for your future career goals?

The Accenture Leadership Symposium at the Austin office was a great opportunity for personal and professional growth. I learned so much about how to be a successful leader in the business world and how to leverage my personality type in order to become the best leader I can be. In addition, I had an opportunity to get to know the amazing people that represent the Accenture leadership team while also being able to network with like-minded UT Austin students who are interested in consulting. Ultimately, this experience strengthened my desire to pursue a career in consulting.
5.) Where do you see yourself working after graduation?
To be quite honest, I still don’t know yet. However, my ultimate goal is starting my own company. But, I know I need to get industry experience prior to that. Although consulting is my top interest, I am still also exploring software engineering and product management as potential career paths. I hope to figure out my career plans in the upcoming months, but I aim to be in a company where I can leverage both my technical skills and business knowledge.

6.) How does consulting relate to your goals as an aspiring entrepreneur?

I personally believe that in order to successfully pursue entrepreneurship, one should be focused on solving existing problems in the world. Through consulting, I believe that I’ll have the opportunity to not only have a stable career but also be exposed to several different fields where I can learn about so many different things and also be exposed to different problems to solve. Furthermore, when dealing with clients, consultants will often need to engage in an innovative mindset and use specific frameworks, which are very transferable to entrepreneurship. In addition, since consulting firms have such a large network of successful people, it makes it easy to network and find the necessary people when I may need to work with them later on. Therefore, I think consulting is a great choice to eventually pursue entrepreneurship.

Quinton Mendoza

Last fall, Canfield BHP freshman Quinton Mendoza learned about networking in his Professional Development and Career Planning course. Since then, the Canfield BHP community has given him opportunities to apply what he has learned in the real world through coffee chats as well as the Honor Business Association’s Company Dinner and Company Field Trip in San Francisco. Hearing from Canfield BHP alumni has made Quinton feel better prepared to reach his professional goals. He is excited to continue talking with more alumni in the future as he decides on a specific career path. 

Read on to learn more about Quinton’s future goals, his networking experiences, and some highlights from his first year on the 40 Acres! 

1.) Why did you originally choose to study in the Canfield Business Honors Program?

I had been interested in studying business at UT, but I had never heard about Canfield BHP until a few months before the deadline. I applied, got an interview, and was accepted in the spring. I had offers from some great schools around the country, but Canfield BHP quickly became the place to beat. I grew up in a small town and had a small graduating class, so I knew everyone. I knew coming into a large university would be a huge change of pace for me, but the fact that Canfield BHP is a tight-knit program made me feel that I could still have that small-school feeling while getting a world-class education. I also knew that Canfield BHP offered multiple ways to get more involved on campus, including alumni events and research opportunities. Finally, burnt orange has been a part of my family for generations (even though my grandfather went to OU), and I felt proud to be able to continue the tradition. 

2.) Which classes this semester have been your favorite and why?

My favorite class this semester has definitely been my Introduction to Data Science class. I never took a statistics class in high school, but I have always enjoyed the analytical thinking that came with my math classes. Getting experience coding in R has also been very helpful in dispelling some of my previous assumptions about coding. Professor Provost has also been an amazing instructor this entire semester, and I truly find her lectures to be informative and engaging. Another class I have really enjoyed this semester is my Educational Psychology class. Gaining a deeper understanding of how the mind learns new information has been pretty fascinating, and the course has given me great study strategies that I can implement in my other classes.

3.) What are your academic and career goals?

Along with my Canfield Business Honors major, I plan to also major in Finance, along with adding a minor in Supply Chain Management. Apart from my business degree, I am considering adding the National Security and International Business minor to explore my curiosity about foreign policy. After graduation, I plan on using my degree to pursue a career in the finance industry. I am currently leaning towards starting in investment banking, but consulting is also a very appealing option. 

4.) How have Canfield BHP’s professional development opportunities helped you plan for your future?

Canfield BHP’s professional development opportunities have been an amazing resource during my freshman year. When I first came to college, learning how to navigate my course schedule, extracurriculars, and recruiting seemed overwhelming. But I was quickly able to rely on the professional opportunities provided by Canfield BHP to learn the best practices for tackling these challenges. One of the best resources has been the alumni coffee chats in the Canfield BHP office. Talking to these alumni in a casual setting has given me numerous tips and tricks for how to navigate college and the professional world. Other events, like the Company Dinner in the fall and the Company Field Trip in the spring, have given me even more exposure to alumni in various roles around the country and helped me to better understand what path I want to pursue. There is so much I now know that I wouldn’t have known had it not been for the professional opportunities available in Canfield BHP, and I believe that I will be better equipped to recruit professionally in the future as a result.

5.) What have been your favorite Canfield BHP networking opportunities?

My favorite Canfield BHP networking opportunity has definitely been the Honors Business Association Company Field Trip to San Francisco in January. I got the chance to help plan the trip throughout the fall and attend after winter break. The trip was amazing and really brought me closer to a lot of my peers. We also had multiple opportunities to meet Canfield BHP alumni at casual places, like a rock climbing gym, and at their workplaces, such as Google and Stanford. I enjoyed getting the chance to hear from Canfield BHPers that are doing amazing things in industries apart from consulting and investment banking. The trip was one of the highlights of my freshman year and demonstrated to me the national footprint of Canfield BHP.

6.) How have you used Canfield BHP’s network of upperclassmen and alumni to assist you in your professional development?

Canfield BHP is not only unique because of the small size of the program and its curriculum, but also because of how engaged upperclassmen and alumni are in your success. I have definitely used the network of upperclassmen and peer mentors to ask about things like classes to take, places to live, and ways to navigate recruiting. I’ve also gotten the opportunity to utilize the alumni network at events like the Alumni Advisory Board Coffee Chat. These events are sometimes underutilized, so I have been able to have multiple one-on-ones with alumni in various industries. A few have even reached out to let me know about professional opportunities and ways to connect with others in the Canfield BHP alumni base.

Kiersten Schmidt

When Kiersten Schmidt was a freshman, she wanted a way to get involved with the Canfield BHP community outside of the classroom. She, therefore, joined the Texas Honors Business Association (HBA), which is Canfield BHP’s official student organization. While serving as a HBA committee member, Kiersten has had the opportunity to become closer with her Canfield BHP peers, connect with alumni, and give back to the community. Now, as a junior, Kiersten serves as HBA President, and we asked her to reflect on her time in HBA.

Read on to learn more about Kiersten’s experience with HBA and her advice for underclassmen and prospective Canfield BHP students!

1.) How would you describe the mission of HBA?

HBA’s mission is to provide academic, professional, social, and philanthropic opportunities for its members. We strive to build up a strong sense of community within the Canfield Business Honors Program and to enhance the college experience for all Canfield BHP students. Ultimately, we’d like to offer a home away from home to our members and offer support in any way that we can.

2.)  Why did you choose to get involved with HBA?

I chose to become involved in HBA my freshman year so that I could get to know and connect with my fellow Canfield BHP classmates on a more intimate level through its volunteer and social events. I was originally on the external affairs committee and really enjoyed organizing HBA’s philanthropic efforts and giving back to Austin’s community. After working on and later leading the external affairs committee, I transitioned over to HBA’s internal affairs committee and now have the opportunity to act as president of the organization. Beyond why I choose to get involved within HBA, I’ve chosen to stay involved these past three years because I have seen firsthand the difference that HBA makes in the lives of its members and within the Canfield Business Honors Program.

3.) What have you learned while serving as a member and as president of HBA?

Through serving as a member and president of HBA, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of leadership and giving back to Canfield BHP. It has really been an honor to work with my current executive team and provide a welcoming environment for Canfield BHP students to grow closer with one another, learn from several recruiting companies, and connect with our alumni. 

4.)  What has been your favorite memory as a member/lead of HBA?

While it’s hard to compete with my memories of HBA’s amazing mental health and corporate events, I would have to say my favorite memory from serving as HBA President has been hosting our committee interviews this past fall semester. It was really wonderful spending the day with the executive board and getting to meet the faces of so many new Canfield BHP students. The highlight was definitely welcoming so many of our interviewees to join HBA’s committee teams at the end of the day and spreading the excitement for the start of the year together.

5.) Do you have any general advice for Canfield BHP students on how they can make the most of their CBHP experience?

My general advice for Canfield BHP students to make the most of their college experience is to get involved in anything and everything that interests you. College is an amazing time to figure out what you’re passionate about and pursue it, and there’s no other time that you’ll be exposed to such a plethora of unique individuals and ideas. Beyond that, I would definitely suggest remembering to stop and appreciate where you are in life at the moment! College passes you by fast.