As part of our Countdown to Commencement series, we spent some time with a few soon-to-be graduates from our undergraduate and MBA programs to learn about their backgrounds, why they chose Scheller College, and what they plan to do with their degrees after Spring 2018 Commencement.
Meet Nick Fazio. Nick is from Carrollton, Georgia, and is currently finishing his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. He describes himself as an “affable, business-minded individual who is passionate about building relationships.” When not working on his studies, Nick enjoys playing golf and is an avid Atlanta foodie, hoping to start his own culinary blog.
As the world becomes increasingly dependent on technology, Scheller incorporates various technological tools and experiential learning into the classroom to improve the skills of its students and add value to the workplace.
Where will you be working after graduation?
I will be working as an Associate at PwC in their Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory Services group in Atlanta.
Who was your favorite professor?
Professor Steve Salbu. As the professor for Business Ethics, Professor Salbu is an excellent discussion moderator. The classroom fosters an environment where the minority opinion feels valued, and he offers insightful anecdotes to augment the conversation without commandeering it. He cuts the tension around controversial topics and sets an example that the world would benefit to follow.
What was your favorite course, and what was the biggest insight you gained about business from it?
Law from Entrepreneurs. Professor Arn Rubinoff provided real-world examples that demonstrated how to leverage the law in order to critically think through the entire breadth of an issue. In addition, the course used the backdrop of legal issues to teach negotiation skills for a variety of business situations from employee compensation packages to the purchase of a company.
Why did you choose Scheller College of Business?
I chose Scheller based on the incredible experience I had when I toured the campus. It was such a refreshing change to get a personal tour of the college and meet people that took a genuine interest in my success. I met a lot of the Scheller Ambassadors at the Dean’s Scholarship interview, which sealed the deal for me. While overall Georgia Tech is four times larger than any other school I applied to, the community/family aspect of Scheller convinced me that I would still get the personal interaction I desired.
As a business student in the heart of Tech Square, how do you think Scheller College embodies the intersection of business and technology?
As the world becomes increasingly dependent on technology, Scheller incorporates various technological tools and experiential learning into the classroom to improve the skills of its students and add value to the workplace. In addition, the close proximity to other Georgia Tech students studying various tech-driven disciplines provide Scheller students with exposure and allows graduates to more effectively communicate with the technology-related business units of their firms.
What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into Scheller College?
I think a lot of people undervalue the investment of a college degree. While that certainly relates to the cost—and Scheller continually ranks as one of the best in the country for return on investment—it also relates to what you do in college to make the most of it. From day one, Scheller taught me that the final goal is to land your dream job upon graduation, and to achieve that, you need to have what companies want: good grades, campus leadership roles, and work experience. If you finish college with those three things, I guarantee the experience will have been worth it.
What is the biggest myth about Scheller College?
I think the biggest myth about Scheller is that its students all tried engineering and failed, so they switched. In my time at Scheller, the vast majority of my friends and classmates came in as business majors from the beginning, and my friends that did switch from engineering had fine GPAs and simply were not interested in what they were studying. I think a lot of the Institute confuses aspirations with ability, and Scheller students seem to be doing the most to sway the sentiment.
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…"
Studying landscape architecture to become a golf course architect.
What are the top two items on your bucket list?
1. Play golf at Augusta National Golf Club
2. Hike to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro
In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you?
Someone who always took the time to build deep and lasting relationships instead of treating every interaction like a networking event.