Dr. Mary Schoonmaker, assistant professor of Marketing at Western New England University, and a leading proponent of the department’s entrepreneurship major, was the Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) Chapter’s fall program speaker for the 2017-18 academic year.
Dr. Schoonmaker encouraged the students to take risks, but also cautioned them that their careers, like hers, would likely be full of unexpected turns, and even zigs and zags, versus being an upward diagonal line. The popular professor used her own life example to illustrate how one’s career typically consists of a series of highs and lows, including the occasional setback that requires recalibration and serious reflection on “What is it that I really want to do?” In Dr. Schoonmaker’s case, it was returning to graduate school later in life to obtain her Ph.D., which is how she found her way to Western New England University. She teaches courses in entrepreneurship, product development, and innovation, among others.
The message Dr. Schoonmaker left the students with was that no matter the circuitous route their careers might take, the important thing is to enjoy the ride. Through her 40-minute talk, it was readily apparent that Dr. Schoonmaker has – and is – enjoying her ride. Afterwards, BGS Chapter President Alona Kornberg presented Dr. Schoonmaker with an elegant BGS pen as a token of the chapter’s appreciation.
