College Experiences That Helped A Vice President At Applied Materials Succeed
Mike's undergraduate finance degree provided a "fundamental way of looking at business," proving invaluable throughout their career. Beyond academics, joining a fraternity unexpectedly taught valuable teamwork skills in navigating diverse personalities, mirroring the complexities of the professional world, and starting a small business instilled entrepreneurial skills applicable both personally and professionally.
Finance, Teamwork, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Communication
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mike DeMuro
Vice President, Global Workplace and Infrastructure
Applied Materials
University of Southern California
MBA, Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
Economics, Finance
Real Estate, Technology
Strategic Management and Executive
Video Highlights
1. A finance background provides a fundamental understanding of business, applicable to various decisions.
2. Joining a fraternity taught valuable teamwork and interpersonal skills, crucial for navigating diverse work environments.
3. Starting a business in college, even a small one, provided invaluable entrepreneurial experience and skills applicable to professional life.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
First, I studied finance. This has proven to be very important in many of the roles I've taken. It's a fundamental way of looking at business and is applicable to a broad number of decisions you have to make. My degree has been very valuable.
Another unexpected, but important thing was joining a fraternity. This taught me something I didn't anticipate. Before college, you choose who you hang out with and interact with. There's an automatic level of selection and comfort.
Joining a fraternity prepares you for the work world. You might join because of a few people, but you end up with a large group, some of whom you don't know and may not care deeply about. Yet, you are in a group together, which is much like work.
You need to learn how to interact with and understand people you're "forced" to be with, rather than just those you've chosen. This has been useful in work because you don't pick everyone you work with. Sometimes you encounter difficult people, and other times people you really like. Learning to interact with all of them is a very important skill.
The last thing was my roommate and I talking a lot about business ideas in our senior year. We ended up starting a business. It wasn't a large company, but going through the experience of starting my own business, getting funding, figuring out how to make it work, how not to lose money, and finding customers taught me immensely valuable skills. These skills, even on a small level, have been valuable not just professionally, but personally as well.
Those three things together were really valuable undergraduate experiences. I can point to them directly for some of the things I've achieved today.