College Experiences That Helped A Vice President Original Content And Business Affairs At ESPN And Disney Succeed
Heather, a Vice President at ESPN and Disney, prioritized strong academics and actively engaged with professors and peers, emphasizing "the social elements of relationship building" as crucial alongside high grades. Despite working full-time, Heather reflects that a more balanced approach, allowing deeper immersion in the college experience and its unique opportunities, would have been invaluable, advising students to "stop and smell the roses" and fully utilize this formative period.
Academic Excellence, Networking, Time Management, Work-Life Balance, Experiential Learning
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Heather Anderson
Vice President, Original Content and Business Affairs
ESPN and The Walt Disney Company
UC Berkeley
UCLA School of Law - JD
Ethnic & Related Studies, Political Science, American Studies
Arts, Entertainment & Media, Law
Business Strategy
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. "Strive for excellence in academics and actively engage with professors and peers to build relationships and gain deeper knowledge beyond coursework."
2. "Prioritize taking advantage of the unique college experience, including interacting with diverse students and utilizing the available resources and expertise."
3. "Balance academic rigor with enjoying the college years and reflecting on the value of this unique period of learning and personal growth."
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
I was a really good student. This meant both wanting to get the best grades I could and being responsible, engaging with professors, TAs, and graduate students. All of that is about social elements, relationship building, networking, and learning in depth.
I really wanted to be the best at whatever I chose to do. This meant investing time in both obvious and non-obvious places, but also having a good time while I could.
I had to work full-time as an undergrad at Berkeley due to my financial circumstances. As a result, I didn't have the time or bandwidth to interact with many of the amazing students there, including the international students. This would have been my first opportunity to get to know people from other countries.
I didn't live in a dorm or join a sorority, so I missed out on those experiences. I wish I could have scaled back the work a bit more and had more time to immerse myself in the culture of college. You won't get that time again when the world doesn't expect more from you than being a student.
You have access to expertise, with professors who are the best in the world at what they teach. You meet people from all over the country and world, whom you likely haven't been exposed to before. You get to have conversations in class and discuss interesting topics. You can study what you want, not just what was mandated in high school.
You don't really get that convergence of all those things later in life. So, stop and smell the roses. I felt like I was powering through, just trying to get to law school and then to work. Now, if I won the lottery, I would go back to college. I would study something else and really enjoy it, being in the moment this time around.
So, my advice to anyone watching is to do your very best and show up as your best. Give your best effort, but also ensure you're taking advantage of this moment in time and this season that you're in.
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