School of Management shines spotlight on students, faculty
With the new school year getting underway, Binghamton University’s School of Management took time to welcome new students, as well as highlight the achievements of its faculty and students. The Mandela Room was filled for the 10th Spotlight on SOM, a student-organized event that celebrates the successes of the school.
The festivities began with a meet and greet, where students were able to explore the dozens of clubs and organizations associated with the SOM, and ended with a $25,000 challenge from an alumnus.
In introductory remarks, President Harvey Stenger reminded students how connected they are with SOM alumni.
“A key advantage of being an SOM student is the thousands of graduates who will help you and will be a part of your network,” he said. “They love you and they want to help you.”
SOM Dean Upinder Dhillon told students they are the reason why the school is recognized among elite business schools.
He emphasized how the culture of teamwork within the school, in which upperclassmen are invested in the success of freshmen and sophomores, helps students leave Binghamton with the professional skills they’ll need to navigate life after school. He encouraged students to take advantage of their junior and senior mentors.
“This is a unique environment. Not many schools have this kind of environment. We are invested in your success, and it’s critical you take part in it,” he said.
Keynote speaker and Binghamton University alumnus Eric Hu ’06 offered students an encouraging message on pursuing dreams and having confidence when taking risks. Hu, who earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, is a director at PwC Consulting.
Hu offered two pieces of advice:
Read every single day. Whether it’s books, periodicals, The Wall Street Journal or the front page of Google News, reading every day is the only way to keep up with a world that changes at such a quick pace.
Get to know your professors. Go to office hours and talk to professors after class. “They sincerely care about you,” he said.
Hu emphasized that now is the best time ever to be an entrepreneur — all that’s needed to create an entire company is a smartphone. With so many opportunities right at their fingertips, Hu stressed to students the importance of picking a path they are passionate about rather than settling for something safe.
“I want to encourage you — really encourage you — to go after what you really want,” he said. “Ignore the haters, trolls and parents whose expectations are holding you back.”
Hu ended with a call to action. When he returns to campus next, he wants students to pitch him their best business idea. He said that he and his wife (whom he met during his time at Binghamton) were willing to invest up to $25,000 in a venture if the idea is good enough.
“If you’re up for the challenge, come find me and let’s do this,” he said.
The event included recognition of student groups and recent achievements of SOM faculty members, as well as the presentation of the awards for Freshman of the Year and Student of the Year.
The awards honor the work of students from the previous school year, and Associate Dean George Bobinski called the decision process very difficult and extremely competitive.
The Freshman of the Year was a tie between Victoria Wong and Satvik Sethi, and Student of the Year was Jonathan Aranov.