Student & Alumni Voices

The full process I learned through competitions and thesis writing — forming your own question, gathering data, and proving it logically — became my foundation for problem-solving. It applies to every part of my work.

I developed dialogue and listening skills. What I gained from the process of converging a team's opinions into one still serves me in sales today.

I gained an unbreakable spirit. Working life has plenty of hard moments, but thinking back — "the seminar was harder than this" — gives me some breathing room (laughs).

The strength to dig in. When things get tough, remembering "those seminar days" makes me want to push a little further.

Making critical thinking a habit, tackling and overcoming my weak areas instead of avoiding them, and making friends I genuinely respect.

The persistence I built through seminar activities now serves me as the ability to see difficult work challenges through to the end.

I developed the habit of always asking, "what constitutes value for the other person?"

Because the seminar involves so much group work, you absorb all kinds of thinking and opinions. I also became able to think about how best to explain my own view so others truly understand it.

An awareness of valuing communication with others. I became able to see any single thing from multiple angles.

The ability to see things through. I learned that even when you think something might be beyond you, believing in yourself and being helped by your teammates lets you get it done.

Meeting people with different ideas and all kinds of creative thinking. It widens your perspective and your world!

Even when an idea seems good, stepping back and cooling down from an objective viewpoint. Doubting it first: is this really good?

Since I spent almost all my time on group work with fellow seminar members, I built both mental and physical toughness — and within that, I learned the consideration for others and the logistical planning that are essential to working with people. Now in a sales role, I feel that experience is the foundation I stand on.