Why a Business Major?

Choosing a major can be one of the most challenging decisions a college student makes. Scott College of Business students share why they fell in love with their chosen major.

Taylor Morris, senior

Accounting major, forensic accounting minor

Why Accounting: Morris took a career assessment quiz in high school that indicated a strong inclination toward taxes. Though initially surprised by the result, she found accounting to be a good fit for her because she loves working with and solving problems with numbers.

Favorite Aspect of Accounting: Faculty, including professor Joe Sanders, showed Morris that accounting offered more opportunities than she thought possible. Sanders guided Morris toward chances to engage with her major before she graduated, including internship experiences.

Future Plans: Morris hopes to pass all four elements of the Certified Public Accounting exam, and, after her December 2020 graduation, she will be working as audit staff at Dauby, O’Connor, and Zaleski in Carmel, Indiana.

Audra Cleveland, ‘20

Insurance and Risk Management major

Why Insurance and Risk Management: Indiana State’s insurance and risk management program is one of only three in Indiana, and the program boasts an almost 100% placement rate by graduation. Cleveland was attracted to the flexibility and the variety of opportunities offered by the insurance industry. “Whether you’re somebody who wants to work with people every day or prefer to work behind the scenes, there’s opportunities for everybody,” she said.

Favorite Aspect of Insurance and Risk Management: Cleveland treasures the connections she has made at Indiana State, both with faculty and with her fellow students, and knows that having this network will continue to benefit her in her career.

Future Plans: Cleveland will be working at an insurance agency in her hometown in the personal lines department, working with both home and auto, as well as sales and retention.

Makayla Irish, senior

Operations and Supply Chain Management major, business analytics minor

Why Operations and Supply Chain Management: Irish knew she wanted to be a part of the business world, but she didn’t know what sector would appeal to her. After talking to some older students, Irish discovered operations and supply chain management and has found it to be an amazing program.

Favorite Aspect of Operations and Supply Chain Management: Irish loves the faculty and staff of the operations and supply chain management program who work hard to prepare students for the workplace. The program ensures that nearly all students have a job offer before graduation. Irish also loves that operations and supply chain management offers many opportunities and different aspects of the field, allowing her to explore numerous careers.

Future Plans: Irish hopes to have an operations and supply chain management internship this summer. After graduation, she knows she will be successful and ready for the workplace after her experience at Indiana State.

Brandon Ball, ‘20

Management major, marketing and entrepreneurship minors

Why Management: Ball knew that he wanted to run a business one day, but he wasn’t sure what exactly that would look like or what industry he would go into. He chose management because of its flexibility; managers are essential to all fields.

Favorite Aspect of Management: Ball loved that his program was centered around the real world. The management major relies heavily on teamwork, a skill Ball knows will be useful in collaborative work environments. He and his peers were able to work with real companies, including ones in the Terre Haute area, to learn how to handle different situations and the different personalities of a workforce.

Future Plans: Ball launched his own consulting firm, Perpetual Motion, that contracts services out to other companies. Ball coordinates with his team, as well as the teams at other companies, to complete a task at hand.                           

Nicholas Pesavento, ‘20

Operations and Supply Chain Management major

Why Operations and Supply Chain Management: Pesavento chose operations and supply chain management because he knew that the degree would help differentiate him from other business students.

Favorite Aspect of Operations and Supply Chain Management: Pesavento appreciates the faculty of the Scott College of Business, whose professional demeanor prepare students for any problem they will face in their careers.

Future Plans: Pesavento will work in the strategic sourcing branch of the operations and supply chain management field.

Lilly Hancock, ‘20

Marketing Management major

Why Marketing Management: As a high school student, Hancock knew that she loved the business world and that it called to her for her future career. After completing marketing internships with a nursing home and an economic development corporation, Hancock fell in love with marketing.

Favorite Aspect of Marketing Management: For Hancock, the creative aspects of marketing are most appealing. She loves using her imagination to make decisions or create marketing plans for companies.

Future Plans: Hancock is enthralled by the prospect of working for an advertising agency that promotes small businesses.

Joshua Bruce, ‘20

Insurance and Risk Management major, Spanish minor

Why Insurance and Risk Management: Bruce had grown up with family in the insurance industry, and when he arrived at Indiana State, he wanted to learn more about the field. Bruce was delighted to learn that insurance held opportunities beyond merely sales positions, and he knew that the major was the best choice for him.

Favorite Aspect of Insurance and Risk Management: For Bruce, the best part of the major he selected was all of the different people to whom he was able to connect. In addition to his connections with his professors and fellow students, Bruce was able to build an extensive network of insurance agents, brokers, and carriers. Insurance and risk management professionals seek out Indiana State students because the program is one of the best in the country, and Bruce is honored to carry on that legacy.

Future Plans:  Bruce will be working as a commercial account executive at Travelers Insurance, where he will be working with businesses, clients, agents and brokers to ensure that businesses have enough coverage to operate safely.

Justia Lumbeau, ‘20

Finance major, economics minor

Why Finance: Lumbeau was already familiar with finance careers; both of her parents worked in the financial sector. In high school, Lumbeau realized she really enjoyed statistics, economics, and math classes, three subjects that correspond well to finance.

Favorite Aspect of Finance: Finance appeals to Lumbeau because it is a broad industry that allows her to explore many different fields and master problem solving skills. Finance has given her an understanding of global and domestic environments, and because of this, she is able to think outside the box when faced with personal and professional challenges.

Future Plans: Lumbeau aspires to work as a financial advisor.

Alijah Rogers, senior

Accounting major, business analytics minor

Why Accounting: Accounting appealed to Rogers because of the job security. At some point, nearly everyone will need an accountant, and he hopes to be able to help people in that manner.

Favorite Aspect of Accounting: Rogers knows that all Scott College of Business faculty want to see their students succeed, but he especially feels that his accounting professors put his success at the forefront of their minds. His inbox nearly always has had an email from a professor, recommending him to an internship opportunity. Because of the support from his professors, Rogers has already completed two internships – one in private accounting and one in public accounting.

Future Plans: After he graduates, Rogers hopes to start in the public account sector before transferring to private accounting where he hopes to complete audits and personal taxes. Rogers hopes to be able to give back everything he has learned in the classroom.