Spotlight: SDSU Fowlers College of Business Council
The Fowler College of Business’ student-led College of Business Council (CBC) at San Diego State University is continuing its reputation as an active and effective organization despite the challenges of operating virtually.
Senior CBC leaders Christie Keller, (President) Evan Atkin, (Executive Vice President) and Jon Soden (Vice President of Finance) share their experiences in leadership at SDSU and offer great advice for students wanting to get involved in leadership opportunities.
Christie Keller
President
Major:
Finance
Year:
Senior
Christie Keller Q&A
Q: What has been your favorite SDSU experience or moment so far?
A: My favorite experiences at SDSU have been all of the wonderful events and opportunities I've chosen to attend outside of the classroom.
Q: Outside of CBC, are you involved in any other groups or departments on campus?
A: Rotaract, Associated Students, Pi Beta Phi, Business Honors Program, Admissions Office Assistant, also previously involved in American Marketing Association & AS Financial Affairs Committee.
Q: Who/What inspired you to go for a CBC position?
A: I really wanted to get closer to the college of business itself in a role that both provided leadership opportunities and a way to have an impact on the college's future events and ideas.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming SDSU students wanting to get involved in leadership at SDSU?
A: Never get discouraged! Join any committee or club as early as possible, even if it isn't a role or organization that you have past experience with or see a future career in - it's a great thing to have a wide array of interests!
Q: What is the best advice you have received so far during your time at SDSU?
A: Don't settle for the easy or less exciting route just because it may be an option.
Q: What do you miss most about the “pre-COVID” college experience?
A: I miss the ability to have those pre or post class/meeting/event personal conversations with a variety of people that you don't necessarily come in contact with otherwise.
Q: What do you hope to gain from your CBC position and what do you hope to accomplish?
A: I hope to use this year to really connect all of the CBC organizations both so that their events, ideas, and capabilities can grow, as well as connect a greater majority of business majors to these organizations and all of the other resources Fowler has that many may not realize.
Jon Soden
Vice President of Finance
Major:
Finance
Year:
Senior
Jon Soden Q&A
Q: What has been your favorite SDSU experience or moment so far?
A: Though every semester is great, your first semester of college is something you truly never forget. One day you're living at home with your parents, and the next you're on your own in the dorms. It's a crazy learning experience, but you meet so many lifelong friends, learn how to be independent, and overall have the most fun of your life.
Q: Outside of CBC, are you involved in any other groups or departments on campus?
A: Greek life and former IFC Vice President, Sports Business Initiative, Sports Marketing Intern, former AS Rep for Undeclared College
Q: Who/What inspired you to go for a CBC position?
A: My older friends in my fraternity inspired me to get involved with AS. Seeing how much of a difference they were able to make as students inspired me to do the same. Shout-out Nick Wohlman, Noah Winne, Cedric Hoskins, Beck Svensson, and many more!
Q: What advice would you give to incoming SDSU students wanting to get involved in leadership at SDSU?
A: If you are worried about time commitments or anything else, I promise you will never regret getting involved here at SDSU. Getting involved early on gives you an advantage to try out different roles and find what brings the best out of you. You will also meet some of your closest friends who have the same determination to make a difference and achieve their goals.
Q: What is the best advice you have received so far during your time at SDSU?
A: The best advice I have received/learned is that it is so beneficial to get your work done early and organize your schedule. In high school, you can get by keeping a checklist in your head and getting work done last minute. In college, if you ever start feeling overwhelmed with your workload, simply organizing your time and working on assignments early reduces much of this stress and takes less time overall.
Q: What are your career aspirations?
A: Currently, I am planning on working as a financial analyst for a venture capital/investment banking firm. I am planning to do this for a few years, and see where it takes me. Overall, I have a direction I am headed in, but staying open to whatever opportunities come my way.
Q: What do you miss most about the “pre-COVID” college experience?
A: Walking towards Hepner Hall during class time is something I did not realize I would miss so much. Aside from the beautiful view, you see a bunch of your friends, events going on, and there is such good energy around campus.
Q: Based on your experience during the Spring 2020 semester, do you have any virtual learning tips or ways to stay engaged on campus for other students?
A: As hard as it is, try to leave your phone in a different room. Obviously you won't be caught texting, but towards the end of college you start to realize how valuable each class truly is. It's important to retain as much information as possible, which will also help drastically reduce the amount of time you need to spend studying.
Q: What do you hope to gain from your CBC position and what do you hope to accomplish?
A: My main goal for the CBC is to provide the same experience for students as they would normally have in person. As VP of Finance, this will be difficult with a reduced budget. I am looking for ways to increase awareness of CBC, our events, and our organizations, all with a lower budget. However, I have full confidence our team will be able to accomplish this.
Evan Atkin
Executive Vice President
Major:
Marketing
Year:
Senior
Evan Atkins Q&A
Q: What has been your favorite SDSU experience or moment so far?
A: My favorite SDSU experience so far has been working with all of the amazing student leaders within student government and other student organizations here at SDSU. I have made many close friends by being involved on campus and I have learned so much from SDSU student leaders since I started college.
Q: Outside of CBC, are you involved in any other groups or departments on campus?
A: Rotaract, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, SDSU Hillel
Q: Who/What inspired you to go for a CBC position?
A: There are two people in particular who inspired me to go for a CBC position. The first person is my older brother, Dan Atkin. Dan graduated from SDSU in the Spring of 2018, and he left a legacy of student involvement that I felt like I needed to match. The second person is Justin Venckus. I first met Justin when I joined Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and he soon became one of my mentors. He served as an AS Representative for the College of Business, and he was actually the one who pushed me to run for my first CBC position. Justin really helped me find my direction for what I aimed to become involved in on campus.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming SDSU students wanting to get involved in leadership at SDSU?
A: Put yourself out there! There are so many different leadership opportunities stemming from a wide range of student organizations here at SDSU. Whether it's in student government or student organizations, find the place where you feel like you fit in the most and can make the biggest impact.
Q: What is the best advice you have received so far during your time at SDSU?
A: The juice is worth the squeeze. *The more effort you put in, the more rewarding the experience will be*
Q: What do you miss most about the “pre-COVID” college experience?
A: The people! I miss being able to see so many people on a daily basis. Whether it was running into friends on campus or working with other student leaders, my favorite part about campus life was being able to build connections.
Q: Based on your experience during the Spring 2020 semester, do you have any virtual learning tips or ways to stay engaged on campus for other students?
A: This goes for in-person learning as well, but I highly recommend keeping your phone and other distractions away from you during online learning periods. I found that SDSU faculty & staff are very passionate about the well-being and success of their students, so I think it is very important that we listen and learn as much as possible from them.
Q: What do you hope to gain from your CBC position and what do you hope to accomplish?
A: This year will be my third year on the CBC executive board. I am hoping to take what I learned over the past two years on CBC and apply it to our goals for this year. As the Executive Vice President of CBC, it is my goal to stimulate involvement among the business organizations as well as to help motivate incoming business students to get involved with CBC. With the virtual meeting platform for the fall semester, increasing CBC involvement will be a serious challenge. However, with the CBC leadership we have this year, I am confident that we will be able to adapt to the current circumstances and have a very rewarding year!
