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Finding community at W. P. Carey: An interview with alum Kennedy Shereck

Q&A with Kennedy Shereck

Discover what it’s really like to be an undergraduate student at ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business, Where Business is Personal.® This conversation with recent graduate Kennedy Shereck has been edited and condensed.

Question: Can you tell us about your journey and what brought you to ASU and W. P. Carey?

Answer: I'm originally from North Dakota, a very small town in the top right corner. Every year since I was in the third grade, my family would come to Arizona for Thanksgiving. We'd spend a lot of time together and my dad would take me to the ASU campus. We'd go to the bookstore and walk around.

I don't think he knew what he was doing at the time. He would say, "Wouldn't it be cool if that was you walking to class? Wouldn't it be cool if you lived in that building?" In seventh grade I said, "Yeah, that would be awesome." It became my dream to come to ASU. My junior year of high school, we officially toured ASU and W. P. Carey. Once we saw how amazing the resources were here at W. P. Carey, I couldn't see myself going anywhere else.

Q: What is special and unique about the W. P. Carey community?

A: What makes the community unique is the people that belong to it. It's so diverse. There are so many different clubs and organizations that you can be a part of. I think the fact that you can make a tight-knit community within a big university is unique to ASU and W. P. Carey. I'm originally from a super small town, so to be able to come here and feel at home is amazing.

Q: Why did you decide to apply to Barrett, The Honors College at ASU? What has your honors experience been like?

A: I decided to apply to Barrett after my family did the tour. I didn't know what it was until I came to ASU and officially toured the campus my junior year. I learned it was a very unique experience and you truly get to make your own path through Barrett.

What I really loved is that you get to take special honors courses that are smaller than your other general courses would be. You get a really nice residential hall to live in, filled with people who are going to push you to do better, because you're all high-achieving students. That appealed to me. My experience was very cool. I loved the individualized attention I got through taking some of those honors courses that helped me develop a more comprehensive understanding of the subjects. I've also been able to make an impact on the community through my thesis.

My thesis was through a pathway called Founders Lab. The goal of the program is to start your own business. I worked with four other students with the same goal. We started a business called Braille Retail. We developed sweatshirts that have an empowering word in embroidered braille going down one sleeve and the translation on the other sleeve. The goal of our project is to raise awareness for the blind community.

Q: How did being a part of the W. P. Carey Leaders Academy influenced your personal and professional growth?

A: I loved Leaders Academy because of the community that it's composed of. Everyone there is very welcoming. It really helped me to build a community here at W. P. Carey and build a lot of relationships and friendships. It pushed me to be a better person and a better professional because everyone in Leaders Academy is a high-achieving student.

I think a good takeaway for future students from Barrett or Leaders Academy is to challenge and push yourself. Honors programs are a little bit more challenging, and that's OK. Now's your time to really challenge yourself and push yourself because it will help you be more successful in your professional career.

Q: How is the W. P. Carey Business Ambassadors program important for both incoming students and current students taking part in it?

A: For prospective students, Business Ambassadors at W. P. Carey are the first friendly faces that they see on campus. This is so important. Business Ambassadors connect with prospective students to make them feel comfortable and welcome at W. P. Carey.

My involvement with Business Ambassadors as a current student was outstanding. You get to build your public speaking skills and your relationship-building skills. You get to be a part of a professional business community. The experiences I had with Business Ambassadors were some of my favorites that I had here at ASU and W. P. Carey.

It was the first organization I joined as a first-year student, when everything was online. It was really welcoming, not just to prospective students but to current students as well. I think the Business Ambassadors program is unique in that way because the community is so tight-knit that everyone feels involved.

Q: How have you utilized coaching and resources from the W. P. Carey Career Services Center?

A: I love the career services at W. P. Carey. The career coaching aspect was one of my absolute favorite resources. It's super easy to schedule an appointment. I could go talk to my career coach about anything from reviewing my resume for scholarship or job applications to mock interviews. They're a great resource for students. It's helpful to get professional feedback from someone who's really involved in the industry and knows the ins and outs of the roles and career paths you’re interested in.

Q: Are there any additional resources you feel are important for future students to know about?

A: One of the biggest resources I think you can utilize as a W. P. Carey and ASU student is tutoring. A lot of people often have a negative connotation associated with tutoring, but it doesn't mean that you're a bad student. Tutoring means that you're a student who knows how to use your resources. Oftentimes, it can mean the difference between a C and a B, or between a B and an A. I knew that I was going to struggle with math coming into my first year, so I went to the tutoring center a lot. Because of the help that I received, I was able to get an A by the end of both of my math courses.

There are so many resources in addition to tutoring. There are great study abroad programs. I personally didn’t study abroad, but I have lots of friends who did, and for many it’s the highlight of their college career.

Q: What advice do you have for future students who are considering W. P. Carey?

A: My biggest piece of advice for future students would be to get involved. Whether it's trying one organization or a whole bunch, just get involved in something when you get here. It will really help you build that community at W. P. Carey and ASU and try new things. There are so many different things to do here on campus, so take advantage of every opportunity.