And That's a Wrap! A Reflection of my Time in Graduate School
Author: Lauren Mendoza, MHRM
My time as a graduate student at the Fisher College of Business is coming to an end, and it sure is bittersweet!
I started my journey as a buckeye at the ripe age of 17. Fresh off the plane from Los Angeles, I visited Fisher as I was accepted as a direct admit into undergrad at OSU for business. I was unsure about choosing Ohio State. I received a full ride, got into their top-ranked business program, and enjoyed that Columbus was a bustling city, which would make the adjustment from Los Angeles a little easier. None of those things matter to a 17-year-old girl when making a monumental decision like choosing a college, though. I still was not 100% convinced.
I knew it was Ohio State as soon as I was guided by the admitted Business Buckeyes tour and on our way to Schoenbaum Hall, we passed by the most beautiful dorm I have ever seen: Mendoza House. Seeing my last name on a beautiful building next to the business school was all the confirmation that 17-year-old Lauren needed to commit to OSU.
Photos: Lauren Mendoza, MHRM
I loved my time as an undergraduate student here so much that I decided to go straight into graduate studies with Fisher, in an attempt to get an extra 1.5 years on this amazing campus. I also did this because I knew I wanted to be the most qualified candidate as possible before I enter the workforce. I knew a Masters in Human Resource Management would do just that.
During my time in graduate school, I served as Madame President of the MHRM program, where I created and became editor in chief of the program's first ever Newsletter, The MHRM Buzz. I also created the program's first peer mentorship initiative, and served as a Graduate Student Ambassador for the Fisher College of Business's Graduate Program's Office. There, I got the privilege of serving as a liaison between applicants and the admissions team, met 1:1 with prospective and admitted students, led tours of campus to admitted students, reviewed and evaluated video interviews for MHRM, MAcc, and Master's in Finance applicants, and wrote in monthly blog posts.
I also fell in love with weight lifting during my time in the MHRM program. Strength training serves as an outlet for my mental health while also serving my priority of being 100% dedicated towards the continuous improvement of the mind, body and soul. Lifting weights makes me feel better mentally and provides numerous physical health benefits, such as a strong and lean physique and a lower likelihood of developing chronic illness in the future.
I secured an internship with PepsiCo through a networking event hosted by Fisher's Office of Career Management. I worked hard and delivered strong results to secure myself a full time role with PepsiCo, where I will be serving as a HR Representative in beautiful Orange County, California upon graduating. I will be supporting their sales business function, and I cannot wait to start!
I also became honest with myself that I do not have to live in California for the rest of my life. I learned that I am adaptable, I have a lust for life, and I am 100% mobile in my career. My career is my priority as it serves my purpose of helping people, and I have always had a love for traveling and meeting new people.
Most importantly, though, I fostered meaningful personal and professional relationships with my cohort peers, co-workers at the Graduate Program's office, and the faculty and staff at Fisher. I know that the sky is the limit once I graduate with my MHRM, and that I will always have a buckeye army supporting me and rooting for my success. I am so grateful for where I am and ecstatic for where I am going.
I am undoubtedly the woman I am today because of my experiences lived, lessons learned, and classes taken at Ohio State. Fisher College of Business and The Ohio State University, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!
