Introduction
This page is all about the progression I made professionally throughout my time at The University of South Carolina. My within-the-classroom experience is centered around my first Finance course, and my beyond-the-classroom experience is centered around the Carolina Judicial Council. While the two experiences may not have much in common at first glance, I have learned that these experiences work in conjunction to make me a well-rounded professional that enjoys policy and financial literacy equally.
Within-The-Classroom
Finance 365, otherwise known as Introduction to Finance, was my first course centered around stocks and finance itself. I took the course in the first semester of my sophomore year, and this class was simultaneously challenging and refreshing. Prior to this course, I was worried if finance would be the correct major for me, but this was the final confirmation I needed that I am made for finance. Finance 365 taught me the essentials of corporate terms, practices, and financial policies that are practiced in corporate America. Additionally, it taught me the technical functions and equations that nearly all financial decisions are based upon. I learned why stocks fluctuate on and individual level and on a market-wide level, and I learned how to properly understand why certain decisions are made from a financial aspect. After learning the standard functions of finance, my professor showed us stock prices and variables where we were able to track changes in the market, along with the events that may have caused their respective market fluctuations. Taking this course was essential for my future career, and I know that the knowledge I gained in this class will be used on a daily basis in my future.
Beyond-The-Classroom
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After taking my U101 Capstone Business section class, I realized that I had several conversations that stressed the importance of financial literacy as a business major. Looking to gain tangible financial experiences, I decided to run for Treasurer of the Carolina Judicial Council. Running for this role required me to speak in front of the entire organization and state why I would be the best candidate to hold the role as treasurer. This speech was the first time that I had to pitch myself and my experiences to a group of people in a face-to-face format, and giving this speech is something that I am proud of to this day, because it required me to get over a fear of public-eye criticism. In addition, I was the only underclassman running for a leadership role. Immediately after giving the speech, I remember thinking that I would be proud of myself for speaking in front of a group of people, regardless of the outcome. Later that night, I was elected! While I am very proud that I ran for Treasurer, I am also proud of the work I did after getting elected. I held my position for one year, and it required that I kept track of all finances associated with the CJC, which included merchandise, member, and external finances. The organization had not fundraised since the years preceding COVID, and it became my job to market our organization to local businesses so that the CJC had a larger budget to utilize over the next year. One final way that this experience impacted me was it gave me a vision for how I want my future job to function. The 2023-2024 CJC executive team was known for how we worked together and how dedicated we were to the CJC, and it showed me how fast goals can be accomplished when a group of people truly believes in itself and the individual team members. Together, our executive team was able to recruit the largest number of students that advisors had seen in years, and we were able to facilitate a professional yet fun environment for current members that kept retention rates high. I am forever thankful for this experience and the friends I made along the way.
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Connection
Something I realized over the course of college is that I do not necessarily need to choose between my two passions, law and business, like I once thought. There is space for both positions to exist at the same time, as my within-the-class and beyond-the-class experiences have proven. Both Finance 365 and the CJC are heavily influenced by decision making processes and require an in-depth understanding of policy to explain why specific rulings are made. Being in the CJC taught me how to deliver good and bad news in a professional manner, and taking Finance 365 taught me how to analyze good and bad news in a tracible manner. I envision that these tools will be useful to draw upon when I hold a leadership position at my job in the near future. Additionally, both Finance 365 and the CJC taught me the importance of following through with standardized practices and rules. Within Finance 365, there are many questions which need to be confirmed before a financial decision can be made. Is the Net Present Value Positive? Is the market in a recession or a boom? Is the return on this stock worth the risk and the cost? While I was not investing in stocks as treasurer, I applied similar questions to decisions about materials that we should invest in as an organization, such as: Which shirts are worth the marketed price? What businesses seem to align with the values of the Creed and how do we become partners with said business? How does the CJC stay out of debt? Then, I was able to use the leadership skills I gained as Treasurer to make decisions based upon analytical information, such as the information I learned within Finance 365. As I reflect on my time here at UofSC, I realized that both of these experiences have shaped the student and person I am today, and I am excited to see how I will continue to blend my love for law and business together!