Our graduates may not necessarily have a mug on their work desk proclaiming their love for their alma mater. Nor a perfectly placed teddy bear in a graduation robe, bearing the emblem of the college that they spent four years of their formative life in. Yet when the question about which university they had studied at invariably pops up, everyone—yes, everyone—assumes it’s SMU.
What gives? Or rather, what’s the giveaway? What sets you SMUggers apart from the others? Let us clue you in.
You’re comfortable with interacting with anyone
Whether it is your workaholic colleague, that difficult client whom everyone else loathes to manage, or an intimidating new CEO, you’re perfectly at ease holding a conversation with any of them. You’re not daunted by the thought of having to make small talk at a networking event or giving a big presentation to a conference room full of the who’s who of the industry.
While it can be challenging to some, it comes naturally to you—thanks to the seminar-style interactive pedagogy that’s a cornerstone of the SMU learning journey. Coupled with the numerous communication modules that encourage deep discussions across myriad topics, SMU grads are a vocal bunch that can hold their own in any professional or social setting.
You’re able to solve real-world problems
Sure, being book smart can give you that leg-up to landing that elusive job. However, what looks great on paper will fall flat if you can’t apply it to the real world. That won’t be an issue for you though, because you thrive on challenges and have had plenty of experience helping corporations come up with creative solutions for their problems.
Nurtured to be resourceful and critical thinkers, SMU undergraduates have the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners through business competitions and courses such as the SMU-X programme. This exposes SMU undergraduates to real-world complexities, inspires them to continually think out of the box, and accelerates their learning to go beyond hypothetical classroom exercises.
You’re able to play the roles of both confident leader and team player
Whether you’re tasked to take the lead on an important project or are part of the team to explore new cost-saving ideas, one thing’s for sure—you’ll get the job done.
With a heavy emphasis on project work during your undergraduate days, you fully grasp the importance of team dynamics. As a result of the leadership and management skills honed as a student leader of your co-curricular activity, you’re able to step up to steer the project team through various challenges. You’re also perfectly comfortable stepping back to play a supporting role and contributing in any way you can to ensure that the project comes to fruition.
You’re a self-starter and trailblazer
A highly motivated individual, you don’t need a carrot to be dangled in front of you to work hard. You’re organised and always have a game plan—what needs to be done, what’s the best way to move the project forward, a viable timeline, and multiple contingency plans, of course. After all, that’s how you’ve been encouraged to work while at school. With innovation and entrepreneurship as two key pillars of SMU’s pedagogy, you’re constantly on the lookout for opportunities to blaze the trail in new markets.
You’re a multi-hyphenate, multitasking go-getter
Why wear one hat when you can juggle 10 while riding a unicycle? While your counterparts may be dipping their tippy toes into the shallow waters, trying to adjust to working life, you’ve probably already dived into the deep end of the pool. You’re never one to rest on your laurels because YOLO right? Perfectly comfortable with straddling two CCAs, a full-time internship, organising University events, while maintaining a decent GPA at school, you expect your professional life to be no less exciting. You’ve discovered the joy of meeting new people, taking on challenges head-on, and have no qualms shouldering additional roles—if it means you get to learn more and grow professionally.
No matter the role or industry, the SMU graduate is most definitely one to look out for!
