Implementing the Bentley Beliefs at Orientation 2015

As Orientation 2015 comes to a close, I am reflecting on the past three weeks of welcoming the newest members of the Bentley community.

Becoming an Orientation Leader has been my fondest Bentley experience to date. Like most Bentley students, I value leadership positions and try my best to take advantage of every opportunity to build relationships with others throughout campus. Prior to this experience, I have held positions throughout various departments on campus, i.e. Admissions, Residence Life, Academic Services. That said, orientation has been a place where I have been able to culminate all the things I know and love about Bentley and share with as many people as possible, while at the same time continually learning things I had never known about the place I have called home for the past two years.

The transition from high school to college is a tough one for anyone, but Bentley works really diligently to ease nerves and create a comforting atmosphere for incoming freshmen. From an internal perspective, the program provides far more than three days and two nights of friendly competition and information sessions. Instead, orientation has been a time to put the Bentley Beliefs in full action.

The Bentley Beliefs, for those who may be unfamiliar, can be summed up in four words- respect, diversity, integrity and learning/growth. With these expectations well established, it was easy for 52 peers to become more than just an inclusive representation of our student body and all it has to offer, but unanticipated friends, forming unlikely bonds in a matter of days. Further, we have proven that the Bentley Beliefs are relevant anywhere on campus, in the dorms, student organizations, as well as in and out of the classroom.

This year’s incoming freshman have already shown they represent the Bentley Beliefs through respecting each other’s differences and coming together as teams, competing in spirit competitions while continually learning about what Bentley has to offer, in addition to what you can offer Bentley. With orientation being a brief indication of the next four years, I have high hopes for the Class of 2019 and have no doubt that they will succeed in relaying the Bentley Beliefs to our community and beyond.

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Welcome to Bentley!

Meet the Students: Stephanie Metzger

The first in a series of blogs I’ll do about the people you meet around campus.  This “meet the people” will hopefully give you some insight into what I think truly makes Bentley the place it is. From students to professors to staff and everyone else, you’ll hear me emphasize that regardless of where you are, the people that are with you make the experience meaningful. I’ve been lucky enough to meet some awesome people along my four year journey and want to share them with you.

Steph and her sister

Name: Stephanie Metzger

How we met: This encounter was a little embarrassing for me. I am a staunch supporter of Bentley Women’s Volleyball (and all Bentley sports for that matter), and attend as many home games as I can. I had gotten to know some of the players and we would see each other around campus often. I introduced myself to Steph one day when she was with a few of the other volleyball girls, only to find out that she had been sitting directly in front of me in a finance class for the whole semester. Not my proudest moment.

Class Year: Junior

Hometown: Liberty Hill, Texas

At Bentley: Steph plays on the women’s volleyball team, is a project manager for Service Learning, and claims to be the number 1 referee for intramural sports*
*Andrew’s note: I’ve been the victim of some suspect net violation calls in intramural volleyball so I would debate that last point

Desired superpower: Power to heal or ability to talk to animals

One thing you couldn’t live without: Concerts/Country Music*
*Andrew’s note: Texas is as Texas does

Dream job: Being very high up in a company like Make-A-Wish or a similar company that helps children

Role Model/Person who inspires you: Carrie Underwood*
*Andrew’s note: Same (heart eyes emoji)

Most embarrassing moment: At the beginning of her second semester freshmen year she sat in class in Smith 200 instead of Jennison 200 for 15 minutes*
*Andrew’s note: This would be more understandable if it was first semester freshman year, but I am also guilty of having gone to the wrong academic building so no judgement here

Film Franchise:
     Toy Story*/Harry Potter/Twilight/Home Alone/Hunger Games
*Andrew’s note: Harry Potter was the clear front runner and Sid (Andy’s neighbor in Toy Story) is literally the most evil little kid ever and his toys gave me nightmares so I’m not with her on this one

Food:
     Ice Cream*/Hamburger/Chocolate/Kale Smoothie/Sushi/Pizza
*Andrew’s note: DUH

Summer plans: Either working back in Texas or staying in Boston

“To infinity and beyond!” – Buzz Lightyear

How I Diversified Myself with the LSM

A lot of you may have heard about Bentley’s awesome Liberal Studies Major (LSM) that lets you tie your business background with the liberal arts, but let me tell you how it helped me diversify myself in the corporate world!

My LSM is Quantitative Perspectives (focus in mathematics), and I tied that to my major in Corporate Finance & Accounting. As a junior, I completed all my math courses for the Quantitative Perspectives and they ranged from “Linear Models for Business Decision Making” to “Calculus 3.”

So how did this help me land the summer internship that led to a full time offer at PwC?

In the spring of my junior year, I applied for an internship with PwC in their Risk Assurance department. A couple weeks later, I received a call about first round interviews on campus! In the first round interview, I had questions pertaining to my coursework, leadership experience, and much more. Then, a few weeks after I received another call about second round interviews at their Boston Office. The second round interviews consisted of a presentation and lunch provided by PwC and three separate interviews with a manager, director, and partner in Risk Assurance. In all my interviews, I had been asked to further explain the LSM which they had noticed was written on my resume. What was most surprising was my interview with the partner! During the allotted time, we discussed the LSM and how the courses have helped me link the business component to math. Fascinated specifically with my course “Linear Models for Business Decision Making”, at the end of the interview, she said I should consider a specific field within the Risk Assurance service line that dealt with situations I had practiced in my LSM class. Surprisingly enough, a couple hours after leaving the second round interview I received a phone call that I had been offered an internship with PwC!

This is only one example where a company saw how the LSM diversified my knowledge in business and made my experience unique at Bentley. So, one piece of advice – consider adding a Liberal Studies Major to help you diversify yourself!

For more information on LSMs click here! 

Bentley Lingo – Your Verbal Survival Guide (Part 1)

Freshman year is an exciting time in your life. You’re making new friends from all over the country and world, you’re exploring classes that are interesting to you, and you’re making the most of all this new-found free time you have. But, it can be a little overwhelming too. You’re most likely living away from home for the first time. You’re beginning to understand the value of time management. You do your own laundry and get your own mail. And on top of it all, you’re struggling to understand the linguistic idiosyncrasies (how do you like them big college words?) of the upperclassmen around you. How can the hockey team have enough room to play in a jar? And how can a place be referred to by a direction…North seems like a pretty general way of describing a location!

I can empathize with those feelings, and as I found out when I made this list, there are still some Bentley terms that I either didn’t know or didn’t understand…..and I’m graduating in May. So I’m here to help you get the jump on Bentley lingo, through this two part mini survival guide.

Discresh – At the beginning of the semester, it feels like an endless supply of funds (linked with your meal swipes) you can spend at any of the places to eat on campus other than Seasons (see Part 2). But without proper planning you end up spending all of it in a month and lean heavily on your friend who somehow ends up with $200 left in discretionary funds at the end of the semester. Get on their good side early because the funds don’t roll over and we wouldn’t want to be wasteful right?

Lower, Upper – Referring to the two different “halves” of campus, “lower” features our athletic complex, as well as dormitory buildings, while “upper” holds more residence halls, our academic buildings, and our student center. Students are fiercely divided on which locale is a better spot to live, but both have their upside.

The library and academic buildings on upper campus

GB – Short for General Business, it’s the core business curriculum that all undergraduate business majors will take. It starts with GB 110 (Ethics and Law), 112, and 212 (Finance and Accounting), moves on to GB 213 (Business Statistics), 214 (Marketing and Operations), and 215 (Management), passes through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, continues to GB 310 (Business Processes and Systems) on to GB 320 (Integrated Business Project) and finally culminates in GB 410 (Strategic Management). But since you can’t escape the GBs just embrace the GBs.

Night bomb – This just seems like its immediately ingrained in your vocabulary once you’re at Bentley, but a night bomb is a class that meets once a week at night for a longer period of time. It’s a great way to condense your schedule, but freshman cannot take them until their second semester. I think normal people call them night classes? I don’t know. But remember your snacks and coffee.

North – A relative unknown for those who have not lived there, North Campus is an unconnected section of residential buildings that is appropriately located due north of the main campus. I can confirm rumors that some of the dorm rooms on North have bathtubs, so that’s something to keep in mind.

CoNo, CoSo – While some residence buildings are known by nicknames, none are used more frequently than the Copleys. In fact, some students may be confused if you refer to CoNo or CoSo as Copley North or Copley South. They are mirroring buildings on the lower section of campus home to mainly sophomores and juniors, and after four years I still haven’t exactly figured out which one is which.

G-space – Campus features two greenspaces: the upper g-space and the lower g-space (also known as the lower G) . Both are aptly named for the halves I described above, and feature different scenes depending on the weather. In the fall and spring, you’ll find sunbathers, football tossers, and Kan-Jam players, while the winter welcomes skiiers, snowboarders, and plenty of snowmen.

Lower campus in the fall, with the lower g-space off to the right and CoNo and CoSo to the left

“What even is North Campus?” – Anyone who hasn’t lived on North Campus

Thoughts While Abroad…

Studying abroad is an experience everyone should try to do throughout your four years in college. I knew that even before coming to Greece. But now that I am actually 3 weeks into my study abroad program, everyday is a constant confirmation that I have made the right choice of leaving my wonderful Bentley home for a semester.

Bentley taught me a lot of things before going abroad but I have also learned so much just the little time I have been here. I wish what I have learned so far was more tangible to put into words but all I can say is:

Every abroad experience enlightens you as a person to the different things the world has to offer. I have met so many amazing people with such different cultures, backgrounds, values and experiences. You really do get so comfortable in your everyday life that you sometimes forget that there is a whole world out there with breathtaking lessons just waiting to be learned.

Knowing what I know now and what Bentley has to offer to prepare you, here are three tips:

1. It’s never too early to start researching where you want to go BUT also be flexible. Ever since Freshman year I had a vision that I was going to go to Santiago, Chile for my study abroad experience. But after researching a lot and seeing that their academic year was a lot different, the dates didn’t really match up well for me. It’s always important to have an open mind about the programs. We are lucky to go to a school where there are SO many programs offered everywhere around the world – so don’t limit yourself to just one!

2. Research the Study abroad program very well (including the school):

Even though you are probably excited about traveling and seeing a lot of different places you have to remember that there’s a “study” in “study abroad”.

Look into: The courses they offer, how big the campus is, what are the dining options, extracurricular activities, the academic set up of classes, and so on. Every last detail counts!

3. Talk to other people who have gone abroad and hear about their experiences! Obviously you probably won’t have the exact same experience as them, but most of the time people who have experienced it can give you a better look at certain details about a program. I had a lot of friends that had gone to Greece prior to me arriving and they gave me some amazing tips on where to go and how to handle certain differences. Plus people LOVE talking about their abroad experience!  Take advantage of that.

I hope some of these tips helped a little!  I also wanted to share a few pictures of Greece to get you excited about your abroad experience, whether it’s in 4 years or next year!

5 Clubs and Organizations You Want to Join at Bentley

I need to add a disclaimer that this top 5 is from personal experience, and is simply meant to give you a snapshot of the different ways you can get involved around campus. For a full list of organizations that you can get involved with at Bentley, click here.

1) Class Cabinet – I was fortunate enough to hold the position of Vice President of the class of 2015 for both my freshman and sophomore years before having to vacate the position because I was studying abroad my junior year. The time I spent on the cabinet was meaningful for many reasons, but I most valued how many of my classmates I met, through campaigning for office and through different events we put on. If you want to meet a bunch of people and have an awesome time while you’re at it, think about class cabinet.

2) Bentley Ski and Snowboard Club – Bentley SSC holds a special place in my heart because I just returned from the club’s weekend trip to Stratton (Vermont), where the conditions were epic and the people were even better. Bentley SSC welcomes any and all of any skill level, as long as they’re looking to have a great time. They do day trips to mountains in the area at group discounts and with transportation provided. With the winter we’ve had, they even built a jump and a rail out on the Greenspace in the middle of campus for everyone’s enjoyment. I would suggest checking out their Instagram, which is phenomenal (personal bias definitely at play).

3) Student Athletic Advisory Committee – As a student-athlete here at Bentley, I have a vested interest in boosting school spirit and participation at athletic events. No organization does so better than SAAC, which runs promotions at different sporting events to drive up attendance and get people excited about how their peers are doing on the field, court, track, ice, course, etc. SAAC emphasizes the importance that athletics has on a college campus, and encourages athletes to go support their peers in the same way we hope they would support us. It gives students a voice in the athletics department and I value that they value our opinions.

4) La Societa Italiana di Bentley – While I can’t claim to be an active member of SIDB, I have been fortunate enough to attend some of their events, and they NEVER disappoint. It’s tough to go wrong with Italian culture, but they offer events like Make Your Own Pizza Night, an annual wine tasting (21+ of course), and a variety of other programs, including an Italian bingo night with some great prizes. As my post-abroad depression is apparently permanent, it’s nice to have a little reminder of Italy here on campus. The bonus is that you don’t have to be Italian to join the club, you just have to really like their food. And that means that everyone is welcome.

5) Campus Activities Board – Again, while I was never an active member of CAB, I certainly benefited from the incredible amount of programs they put on throughout my four years at Bentley. Most notable is Spring Day, an annual concert that brings some headline acts to campus and is filled with activities throughout the day, from bounce houses to athletic events, to human bowling (PSA: don’t try snapchatting yourself human bowling). We’ve had Nelly, T-Pain, Timeflies, Kellie Pickler, and Gloriana, and this year’s concert is sure to be awesome too (the bonus for members of CAB is that they get to meet the artists). In addition to Spring Day, CAB hosts events like a Bentley Amazing Race, Bentley Bingo, and a semi-annual Comedy Show, which are all accompanied by some good laughs and insane prizes (like the kid who took home a DRONE from Bentley Bingo).

The name of the game is to get yourself involved, especially considering that you’ll have a lot more free time in college than you did in high school. Wherever your passions lie, there’s almost certainly an organization that aligns with them, and if there isn’t then you can start one.

In the spirit of trying new things and pushing your comfort level a little to get involved, here’s another quote from my main man: “When life gives you lemonade, make lemons. Life will be all like, ‘What?!?!'” – Phil Dunphy

5 Easy Steps to Having an Awesome First Year at Bentley

No matter how much I refuse to believe that this is my last year at Bentley, it is inevitable that I will be walking across the stage in May to receive my diploma. It has been one crazy ride these past few years, but after some reflection I realized that freshman year was the start to my amazing experience at Bentley.

With that said, let me leave you with 5 easy steps to having an awesome first year at Bentley

1. Attend ORIENTATION

College… It can be a little nerve-wracking. You are most likely leaving home for the first time to an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar faces, but trust me on my words that orientation will take all those nerves away. Are you scared of doing something embarrassing? Don’t worry the Orientation Leaders will be doing things that will surpass any sort of embarrassment you may come across. Just EMBRACE THE CHEESE and you will find yourself making friends before the semester even starts. You might even find a potential roommate!

                     

2. Set S.M.A.R.T Goals

Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Realistic. Timely

Everyone sets goals beginning January 1st to start off the New Year, but why not set some more goals day 1 of college? Think about the things you want to achieve in your first year. Whether it is a personal or academic based goal, college is a blank slate where you can start all over. Continue to set and reach your goals throughout your years at Bentley, and you will find yourself succeeding in all your endeavors.

Tip: Make your goals visible! Write them down or create a dream board and tape it to your wall or mirror everyday to remind yourself of the achievements you want to obtain by the end of your first year.

3. Get INVOLVED

There are over 100 student organizations recognized on campus! So go to the Activities Fair at the beginning of the semester and sign up for something you’re interested in. This is a great way to meet new people that have common interests with you! My best friend and I became friends starting freshman year through our involvement in South Asian Students Association.

4. EXPLORE

You may or may not be from Waltham, MA, but there is always room to venture out in the town and Boston. With the close proximity to Boston and access to Harvard Square via the Bentley Shuttle Bus, you can explore the beautiful city with friends and family! You might also want to really venture out and go skydiving one day with your friends. 

5. Build RELATIONSHIPS

Most importantly, build relationships with peers, faculty, and staff! I touched upon meeting new people in the previous steps, but take the time to create those strong bonds with them. I am so appreciative of the people I met at Bentley. My peers, faculty, and staff were the ones that supported and helped me grow with the opportunity to become an Orientation Leader, ALANA Leader, Resident Assistant, Peer Academic Advisor, Admissions Fellow, and Risk Assurance Intern at PwC.