What was your major at Butler? Have you pursued any graduate degrees post-Butler?

I triple majored in International Business, Finance, & Spanish. I have not yet pursued any graduate degrees, but am looking to pursue corporate sponsorship to get my MBA here in the next year or two. 

Where are you currently working? Where have you worked before now?

I currently work at Eli Lilly & Company as a Sr. Financial Analyst. I have been at Lilly since I graduated from Butler (2.5 years). My first role was on our Global Manufacturing Finance Consolidations team supporting our manufacturing sites across the globe (2 years), and I am now on our Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) team (6 months)

Have you worked or traveled internationally since graduation? If yes, where? If not, do you anticipate going abroad in the future? 

Not technically international, but during my time in Global Manufacturing Finance I did have the opportunity to travel to our Puerto Rico manufacturing site on two separate occasions while working on a project for them. 

 What advice would you give an IB major who is not sure what they want to do with their major after graduation?

As you’re looking for job opportunities try not to limit yourself/focus too hard on finding something that perfectly fits that “International Business” mold.  You would be so surprised how important/interconnected International Business concepts are in the Business world. I find myself leveraging the IB side of my background almost daily, and my job title isn’t necessarily one that screams “International Business,” but it’s definitely there

Are there any skills (soft skills, language skills, communications, etc) that you would advise that IB majors prioritize while still in school? 

I think if the interest is there, a second language is always a great skill to have in the IB world. While not required as most business is done in English, in my opinion/experience my language skills have helped me connect deeper on a cultural level with my OUS business partners and have, in a way, expanded my professional scope. I also think good communication skills & the ability to be flexible are important. You will likely be working with individuals from different backgrounds & cultures, in which case it’s easier for some things to get lost in communication, whether it be language or cultural barriers. Therefore, it's often important to be more intentional in your communications.