As part of the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business Countdown to Commencement series, we interviewed a few soon-to-be graduates from our Undergraduate program to learn about their backgrounds, why they chose Scheller, and what they plan to do after the Fall 2021 commencement.
Meet Lauren Chitwood who is graduating with a concentration in strategy & innovation.
Where are you from?
Alpharetta, GA.
Where did you attend high school?
Chattahoochee High School.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business?
Business is all about relationships. Get to know people. Also, business never stops. There is always something to keep up with or a new skill to learn.
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field?
There are many facets to business, so take the time to really get to know what excites you the most, either by looking at what the business school has to offer or talking to people about it, or a bit of both. You will have a better understanding of which direction you want to go in business, whether that’s HR, Operations, or something else. Some people like to group business as just “business,” like an all-encompassing term, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Specific areas that may appeal to you or not.
As a business student in the heart of Tech Square, how do you think Scheller College embodies the intersection of business and technology?
It’s in the name - Tech Square. Scheller is at the intersection of business and technology not only in Atlanta but also the Southeast. The curriculum at Scheller reflects this well, since many professors incorporate some form of technology into their classes with different applications or software tools. From Gephi, R, SQL, and Excel, the usage of technology not only in the classroom but in the actual, current business environment is emphasized. Also, the professors frequently update their curriculum to ensure students learn the most relevant information, processes, and technology being utilized by companies in various industries.
What was your favorite business course?
Entrepreneurial Finance.
Who is your favorite professor?
Tiffany Johnson. She really made learning about organizational culture approachable and fun. We also had a lot of discussion and worked in groups a lot which made the class more interactive. There was also an end of course project that included us making a podcast, which was my first time doing so. I was able to take away a new tangible skill from the course because of that.
What has surprised you most about majoring in business at Scheller?
The relevancy of the curriculum. The fact that the professors continually try and update the course to include the most relevant or pertinent information is very helpful, especially for interviews and industry knowledge. Also, the overall friendly environment made up of professors, students, administration, and counselors. Coming in, I thought the environment may be a bit rigid and stuffy, but this was not the case at all. I loved being a part of Scheller!
What are some of your extracurricular activities, community work and leadership roles during college:
Grand Challenges Program; Dean’s List and Faculty Honors every semester; Georgia Tech Marketing Association; American Marketing Association; vice president of Membership & Recruitment, Georgia Tech Sports Business Club; Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society; National Society of Collegiate Scholars; mentor, Buzz Buddies; student mentor, Boys & Girls Club; mentor, Georgia Tech Pipeline Project; OMED Gold Award (2018-21); student mentor, FliP; student assistant for the Scheller Undergrad office.
Where have you interned during your college career?
Marketing intern, Campus Recreation Center (CRC); commercial & analytics intern, UCB, Pharma Inc.; customer sales operations intern, NCR.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why?
I would get to know more people sooner. Also, I would go to more business events and do more company visits because they are great ways to make connections - something that is very relevant to business.
Which academic, extra-curricular or personal achievement are you most proud of?
I just loved being a mentor through the Georgia Tech Pipeline Project and Buzz Buddies. Being able to meet new people and interact with younger kids who have bright futures ahead continuously grounded me. It can get difficult trying to juggle everything and be in an environment where it feels like everyone is always pushing to do more and create great things. Having some time away from that and being able to interact with people outside of our immediate college environment always provided a breath of fresh air and different perspectives. It can be easy to get wrapped up in everything at Tech, so being able to be involved in activities that weren’t related to academics was great!
Which classmate do you most admire?
I’ve met a lot of fantastic people doing great things over the years here at Scheller, so I can’t say just one person in particular. The peers that stuck out in my mind though were always those that weren’t reluctant to help people and took the initiative to create things and work on personal projects outside of the classroom. These classmates always stood out to me because it was obvious that they always wanted to do more, and they found time to do it outside all of the schoolwork or other responsibilities, which that can be hard to do at times.
Who would you most want to thank for your success?
My family, because I could not have made it through without their constant support and encouragement. Sounds cliché, but it is definitely true!
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
Work with a sneaker and/or apparel company and be able to travel quite a bit with my job at one point.
What are your hobbies?
Trying as many new restaurants as possible. I don’t have any long-term hobbies per se, but I do like trying new things, places, and experiences as much as possible.