Grace Lewis
As an Economics Major and Entrepreneurship minor, why did you choose MBI?
I knew that I wanted to go into business in some capacity and felt that the coursework would not only give me a foundation, but also help me narrow down what type of industry and role I may have an interest in. MBI has given me the opportunity to work with everything from finance to marketing, and it has helped me realize where my strengths and interests lie.
We started the spring semester with Professor David Lehman’s Organizational Behavior unit. How have you enjoyed the unit and what are your takeaways?
I expected the Organizational Behavior unit to be more about company structures and employee satisfaction being a direct impact on the bottom line. Instead, it was much more about risk taking and how routines can shape our decisions. I thought Professor Lehman was great about connecting personally with the students and allowing for class participation. He was personable and made each of his classes an interactive experience.
What was your favorite experiential exercise from Professor Lehman’s unit?
I liked the “If Your Team Should Race” exercise. This case presented details on the financial risks that a racecar team had to consider before racing a defective car in a Grand Prix. We were able to weigh the pros and cons of participating in the race, and the more we discussed, the more we realized how complicated the issue was. It was really powerful to recognize that problems are often more complicated than they seem and that they can be solved in a variety of different ways.
How will you use organizational theory in the future?
I will use the principles of organizational theory to better evaluate and understand the types of risks I should and should not take. This unit has allowed me to better understand the motivations behind my own decisions, as well as understanding the decision making of others.
Has MBI made you a more competitive applicant for internships and job positions?
I know that MBI has helped me become a better applicant. To have the foundation of all of these various skills is so important going into the workforce. I have been able to talk about the MBI course in my interviews for internships, and it has absolutely made me stand out.
