Fowler Scholars Program Student Spotlight: Cooper Craven

Cooper Craven, Class of 2025.

The Fowler Scholars Program was established in 2018 to educate and prepare a select group of Fowler College of Business students for accelerated and lasting leadership roles in global business and society. Each year, the college selects a new group of freshmen from the San Diego community to become Fowler Scholars. The students selected for the program have demonstrated leadership, ethical conduct, and exceptional academic and collaborative abilities. 

Cooper Craven, a class of 2025 Fowler Scholar, is a freshman majoring in Management with a Specialization in Human Resource Management while double minoring in Communication and Digital and Social Media Studies. After graduation, Craven hopes to work in the media and entertainment industry as an executive. Television and film have influenced his life deeply, and he wants to contribute to the positive global impact of the entertainment industry. Craven discusses what being a Fowler Scholar means to him, the best advice he’s received, and more. 

Q: What does it mean to you to be a Fowler Scholar? 

To me, being a Fowler Scholar means that I can learn to be an ethical business leader in the future. It means I have a support system around me of peers and mentors who want me to succeed. As a member of the fourth class of Fowler Scholars, the class of 2025, I am fortunate enough to have a wealth of experience and knowledge in the other Scholars. It puts me in a community of like-minded individuals who are not just seeking goals similar to my own but are willing to help me learn and grow together in and outside of the classroom. The Fowler Scholars program is a foundational element of my college experience and is a title I hold with pride and will continue to treasure in the future.

Q: Can you describe a little bit about yourself and how/when you decided to pursue Business Management with a Specialization in Human Resource Management as an area of study?

I was born and raised in Santee, a suburb twenty minutes outside San Diego, California. I’ve always been a “people person,” investing my time in leading an after-school program for junior high students and participating in California YMCA Youth & Government throughout high school. I saw business as the perfect fit for me, especially since I live so close to San Diego State University, one of the best business schools in the country. I gravitated towards Management because it will allow me to closely work with people while simultaneously leading a business in an ethical manner. It will also allow me to continue to improve my ability to allocate time and resources effectively that I began to develop in the Youth & Government program.

Craven and friends at a SDSU football game.

Q: Who inspires you and why?

One person who inspires me is NBA athlete LeBron James. He is someone who has received the most prestigious of accolades and made large sums of money in his dream job. However, James doesn’t let these things get to his head. He opened a school and provided housing and food for children in need, along with pledging upwards of $40 million to send over 1,000 students to college at no cost. James’ humility and caring for others is an admirable trait that I hope to emulate.

Q: What is the best advice you have received during your time at SDSU?

The best advice I have received is, “take advantage of the opportunities provided to you because the connections you create and experiences you have will be valuable in the future professionally and socially.” In the short time I have been on campus, I have learned about a multitude of opportunities to gain work experience, build friendships, and find my identity while I am a student at SDSU.

Q: What career aspirations do you have following your time at SDSU?

I seek to become an expert in the management field through theory learned in the classroom and experience gained through internships and jobs. I aspire to positively impact the world around me by working for a company that either puts smiles on people’s faces through entertainment or helps disenfranchised individuals improve their quality of life. I also hope to eventually earn an executive position at a company in the media and entertainment industry, as the world of television and film has brought me so much joy over the course of my life and I want to help make those memories for people around the world.