Polished by Practice
On a sunny Tuesday afternoon in late April, senior Tatiana Perez ’25 entered a large classroom alongside her teammates. She stood ready to present industry and company analyses and respond to questions from a panel of seasoned professionals. Perez had presented with a team like this before —about three and a half years earlier when her academic journey at the business school was just beginning; however, this time was different. This time, she would exude confidence.
The growth Perez experienced between her first and senior year is a direct result of the Sigmund Weis School of Business’ carefully prescribed foundation in business coursework and hands-on learning, augmented by networking opportunities and mentorships. When Perez thinks back to her first team presentation, she says she was nervous to make eye contact and was still adjusting to being in person after the pandemic. The constructive criticism she received from the panelists sticks with her.
“At the time, it felt harsh,” she recalls, “but looking back, I’m so thankful for it. That feedback pushed me to grow. My competitive edge is my ability to turn feedback into fuel.”
The courses that bookend every business major’s academic career are Global Business Perspectives, a rite of passage for first-year students, and Business Policy and Strategy, the capstone course required of seniors. First-year students conduct extensive market research on a specific company and present their team’s three recommendations to professionals, who provide feedback the team can incorporate into its final report. As seniors, teams choose two companies within an industry and use Porter’s five forces analysis, among other criteria, to determine which one has the competitive advantage. Professors select teams that have mastered research, analysis, writing and presentation skills to present at the Policy Bowl, where business executives engage them in a question-and-answer session to determine a winner.
“The ability to bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and practical execution gives us a strong advantage in the workforce.”
— Carly Dresher ’25
Carly Dresher ’25, who secured a position with Ernst & Young as an assurance auditor prior to graduating, points out the Policy Bowl competition is just one of several examples where business students do more than learn the material — they are trained to apply theories in real-world settings.
“My coursework gave me a strong understanding of financial statements, industry trends and company performance — all of which were essential in crafting a compelling and data-driven story for each company our team researched,” she says of the capstone course requiring a boardroom-style presentation. “This background allowed me to interpret the numbers behind strategic decisions and present them in a way that supported our overall analysis.”
One of her teammates, Julius Glover ’25, credits the real-world, hands-on experiences business students receive outside the classroom — such as his international internship — with helping to set their team apart.
“My internships in Singapore and New York gave me real-world experience that made everything we learned in Business Policy click. Weber Shandwick showed me how strategy changes across global markets, and MUFG taught me how big companies make high-stakes decisions,” Glover says. He is now an analyst at MUFG after accepting a return offer following his junior year internship.
Dresher adds that she and her teammates approached the semester-long capstone project with the seriousness it deserved. “It was the culmination of everything we’d learned over the past four years,” she says. “The ability to bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and practical execution gives us a strong advantage in the workforce.”
Launching successfully into a career resonates with Jacob Mavretic ’25. “I’ve learned how to assess complex business problems, evaluate data and make strategic recommendations that can drive real value in any business environment,” he reflects.
Mavretic, who is employed as an assurance associate at RSM in Chicago, also values the mentorships the business school provides to support students’ growth between the bookend courses. Second-year students are paired with multiple alumni mentors who offer career insights and guidance, as well as support with résumé and interview preparation, networking and the job search process.
“The mentors I had played a significant role in helping me grow, particularly in developing confidence in professional settings,” he adds. “Their guidance helped me navigate academic and career-related decisions. I’m committed to continuing that cycle of support by mentoring others whenever possible.”
Kathryn Kissinger ’86 Snowe, a retired project manager at PMA Companies, has served as a mentor and panelist for first-year and senior team presentations over the years.
“The most obvious growth I see is their ability to present and defend their thoughts,” she notes of the soon-to-be graduates. “They mature a lot in their college careers, and you see this in not only the depth of their research but also their ability to convey that research to an audience.”
Drew Kruger ’12, who also serves as a panelist for both classes, says the confidence of seniors is undeniably stronger. “By their senior year, students have had time to grow and come to the competition with conviction behind their findings.”
Today, Perez is pursuing a Master of Business Administration, equipped with the real-world edge she gained as a Sigmund Weis School of Business student.
“体育买球官网 has really shaped how I think and work. Classes taught me how to analyze complex problems, and all the group projects helped me learn how to communicate clearly and lead with purpose,” she adds. “That’s what will set me apart, and it’s something 体育买球官网 helped me discover and develop.”
