College Experiences That Helped A Director Of Technology Alliances At Glia Succeed
Daniel's undergraduate approach prioritized engaging professors and interesting courses, leading to a political science major, which developed communication and analytical skills applicable to their career, even if not directly related to technology. The interviewee suggests using college as a time to explore different subjects, "try out a whole bunch of different things," and build relationships with professors to gain insight and set oneself apart.
Communication, Career Exploration, Relationship Building, Analytical Skills, Generalist Approach
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Daniel Cuddy
Director of Technology Alliances
Glia
Boston College
UCLA Anderson (MBA)
Political Science, American Studies
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing), Technology
Business Strategy
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Focus on engaging professors and building relationships.
2. Explore different subjects to discover interests and career paths.
3. Develop strong communication and analytical skills through coursework and experiences.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
My approach to undergrad was to follow the courses I was most interested in. This may not be the best advice, but oftentimes, the courses I was interested in were led by engaging and interesting professors.
Ultimately, that's why I chose to be a political science major. I found that I felt the best connection to the political science professors and thought they were the most engaging. That's what set me up for my major.
Now, do I leverage my political science background every day? Probably not, other than the ability to be a good communicator, write well, and have an analytical mindset.
Something important is focusing on professors who are engaging, and with whom you want to develop a relationship. That's something that will set you apart.
As I mentioned earlier, part of college is finding out what you want to do, but also finding out what you don't want to do. It's a time to explore and try out different things. My strategy was to be a bit of a generalist, trying a bunch of different classes to see what I liked and what resonated. I then used that to guide my career decisions.
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