I AM PSE: Business for Non-Business Majors
I AM PSE: Business for Non-Business Majors
Professional Growth Opportunities from the Beginning
Written By: Anita Drapkin
Finding our place, on a college campus, in our careers, and our hometowns are often something that takes years to do: building relationships until you make a community you can call your own. For generations, PSE has made lifelong bonds possible between diverse college students that also offer an immense network or professional support and opportunities. Read along to find how one of our Gamma Gamma members from each of the different colleges outside the business school found their place in PSE.
“PSE changed my college experience because it brought me to a group of people I would never have hung out with otherwise, but are now my best friends. PSE has depth in its community and we really all do mesh so well,” - Miller Steele, Engineering Management.
INTRODUCING
College of Creative Arts - Aidan Mckeon
Arts Management & History
“I am from Cleveland, OH, but I attended high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. I originally came to Miami, studying theater. On campus I am involved in PSE, I am the Music Director of Soul 2 Soul Acapella, and a member of Associated Student Government.”
Justin Klatt | Passionate about the outdoors and hiking
College of Arts and Science - Justin Klatt
Microbiology
“I am from Massachusetts, an hour outside of Boston in Boxborough. Outside of PSE I am President of the Outdoor Adventures Club, am currently training for a marathon, and am a wildlife amphibian enthusiast!”
College of Education, Health, and Society - Keiran Davidson
Middle-Childhood Education, Science & Social Studies Specialization, Human Capital Management
“Outside of classes, I am currently the president of Chi Psi Social Fraternity, a PSE general member which I love, I have a unique job on campus in the Conduct Office of Standards, and in the winter I coach wrestling at the local high school which has been super rewarding. I also love to play music, I am kind of in a band right now where I play the drums for fun!”
Miller Steele
College of Engineering and Computing - Miller Steele
Engineering Management, Mechanical Engineering, Entrepreneurship
“I joined PSE first semester fall of my freshman year where I immediately got involved in the New Member Project with P&G and the Marketing/Finance project with Mullybox. I also am currently serving on the Strategy Committee. Outside of PSE, I was on the Water Skiing Team, I am in the Sigma Chi social fraternity, and in a month I leave to volunteer in Madagascar!”
Why PSE?
“I decided to join because I wanted to learn the different standards of creativity and communication that comes with business,” - Aidan
Aidan:
I actually changed my major from Theater to Arts Management because I wanted to be more on the business side of the arts while still involved in theater and music. PSE was first recommended to me by a friend and I knew it was well-respected in Miami for many industries and sectors of business. I wanted the same opportunities as people in other forms of business to strengthen my hard and soft skills for whatever industry I chose.
Justin:
One of my good friends from the Outdoor Adventure Club who was actually a Chemical Engineering major recommended me. I had never known exactly what I wanted to do in college, I was doing research in a lab, but was still considering learning outside of major, which PSE offered a path for. PSE offered a business perspective in science with Biotech and pharmaceutical companies with real consulting projects I could gain experience in.
Kieran:
It’s kind of a funny story. The semester before I came out for PSE, I actually was cut first round from another business fraternity and was blown away. I had never really been cut from anything, I was confident in public speaking and my resume, so it was pretty humiliating, especially as in the same week I lost the election for my fraternity’s presidency. I had never lost like that. But then after interviewing with PSE, which felt so comfortable and natural, that’s when I learned what organizational fit truly looks like.
“Instead of asking “what do I want to do” I learned to ask “where does this organization see me being the best fit.” - Kieran
Miller:
For me, I wanted to bridge that gap between Engineering and Business. I went into Engineering to learn the technical skills that would set me apart in starting my own business in the future, but I always knew I wanted to join a business organization. PSE stood out to me because there were so many diverse people making up the chapter and even in the start of the interviewing process I found a community of like-minded business focused engineers.
ADVICE
Q: “What advice would you give your former self if you were to try out for PSE again?”
Aidan:
Go with the flow! I kind of got to use my acting training in the interview questions which was really cool. I would tell myself to be a little less safe and show my personality more. Really pushing out of the box intrinsically honest answers. Something more close to my heart, rather than trying to check all the boxes. When you get into it the interview process is a little nerve-wracking but also very relaxed at the same time.
“Go in without expectations and have fun with it. Give everyone the opportunity to learn from you as much as you’ll learn from then. Your perspective also matters!” - Aidan
Justin:
I was outgoing in the info nights asking questions of the current president and leadership board so I knew what to expect, which I would completely recommend. Talking to them, I was really able to picture how I could see myself fitting in.
In my first interview, I was basically on auto-pilot. I really can barely recall anything. I’d never really done a real interview before, this is the first one I’d done in my life. After that I got more and more comfortable. Be creative and have a lot of fun with it. I remember asking the interviewers “if you could pick any few cheeses to represent PSE what would be your cheese platter and why?” It is okay, and actually appreciated, to show some personality and ask great questions!
Kieran:
For me, this was the best interview I’ve ever been in and performance wise. In education, I was kind of on the backfoot of how to pitch myself to business fraternity, but applying my personal experiences to abstract problems was so fun. The people and culture of PSE includes lots of creative thinking while maintaining that sense of professionalism, and I felt like yeah I could see myself doing this the rest of my life. I would tell my former self to feel free to and reach out to us!! You don't need to do, wear, say or be a certain something to get in. You just need to go in and talk about yourself.
“It is okay to be nervous because it means you care, the coolest thing you can do in the world is care about something.” - Kieran
Miller:
Plan for PSE like it’s another class and structure it as such. You could aim for a B-, or you could get an A. Do your homework on PSE. Ask questions that couldn’t be answered by looking on the website, open-ended experiential questions. And practice answering common interview questions.
PSE INFLUENCE
Q: “How has being in PSE shaped both your college and your professional experience?”
“The biggest thing in why I love PSE and the recruitment process is I never felt I was judged in how I looked, my major, or what I was interested in, I was judged solely based on my character.” - Kieran.
Aidan & Soul2Soul
Aidan:
Working in a group in a way everyone in the group was excited about the work and wanted to be there was amazing. From the Cincinnati Museum Center project, which was exciting for me being related to the arts, I learned from other leaders. PSE develops me in different ways. Like in running all the social media for Soul2Soul last semester I understood Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, and Spotify, but I would have never gotten that backdoor perspective into Linkedin which I do now being with PSE.
Justin:
I am currently in touch with a former PSE member who works for Tempus that came in last semester for a general body meeting and may now have an internship with them next summer!
Kieran:
I wouldn’t have had an internship this summer without PSE because I wouldn't have known how to use Linkedin. That’s just not something that’s a part of the Education curriculum but that truly opens doors. I was the only resident of Ohio in my internship on Wall Street where everyone else was from New York. PSE taught me to set myself up in a new bracket of applicants.
Miller:
It’s been great, its hard to find your group in the first semester, but being in PSE helped me find my people and facilitated my networking right from the beginning. I came in with the goal to take what I learned in the classroom and apply it to PSE and vice versa. I try to merge those separate entities together and I think I'm a better student and member because of it. For me, PSE is an outlet more than a responsibility, it’s not daunting because I always look forward to it.
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS
Q: “How do you feel your background is valued in PSE?”
Art Management & History - “I am an arts advocate. I am someone who is really passionate about advocating for arts education, and we constantly see that in music we create hard and soft skills for anyone that they can use their whole lives. Theater gives you public speaking, music gives you immense focus and attention to detail, and PSE values exactly that.” - Aidan
Biology - “Last semester I helped on a Guided Patient Service project for a healthcare company and having been studying with lots of pre med students I could really apply my knowledge to that project.” - Justin
Education - “I think when it comes down to it, being a teacher or in education is all about talking and public speaking, you get in front of people everyday and speak to others and PSE has tapped into that asking about my experiences.” - Kieran
Engineering - “ I can add another layer of depth to decision making having all these different disciplines coming together. As an engineer I’m at the forefront of tech and emerging solutions so I can solve client problems with new approaches my teammates may not have known of.” - Miller
PSE Your Business Advantage for Life.
Want to learn more about these members?
Connect with them below!
Aidan McKeon
Miller Steele
Justin Klatt
Kieran Davidson