Five Takeaways from #Rapertmktg

This semester I had the amazing opportunity to take Molly Rapert 's Marketing Management course. At the beginning of the course, I had no clue how influential this class would be in providing clarity around my future career aspirations. Molly is one of the best professors I have had during my college career. She has pushed us to step out of our comfort zone and helped us make connections for our future careers. In every class, I left more knowledgeable and a better version of myself. If you can take Molly's class, don't take any day for granted and soak up all the amazing opportunities she provides.?

Molly Rapert's class has exceeded every expectation. It became very clear why her past students still rave about her and continue to work with her even in their adult life. Even though this class was intimidating at first, I now know every assignment and class was 100% worth it. Here are just a few things I have been able to take away from this class.

Find Your Purpose

One of my favorite projects from this semester was the Values Project. While creating this, we really had to think about who we truly are and what kind of work environment we would thrive in. We were able to work with a mentor and they lead us in creating our purpose statement. When we started this project, I never considered the need to create my purpose statement. We were pushed to really think about who we truly are and how we wanted others to see us. This class has helped me realize the importance of being honest with who you are and continuing that in your work and personal life.?

As this semester is coming to a close, I feel as if I have a better understanding on what is important to me in a work environment. As I start to interview for future jobs, I am now more confident in what I can bring to my employer.?

Creating Relationships

Before taking this course, I didn't realize how important relationships are in your career. It is important to have connections, but these genuine relationships will help you succeed in your career. During this semester it has become very clear that one of Molly's priorities is creating these genuine relationships. We were able to receive advice from many past #rapertmktg students. She has been able to connect me with her past students to help guide me in my job search. Having Molly and these past students in my corner has made this process much more enjoyable. I could not thank her enough for pouring into us and creating these relationships.

Because of Molly's amazing relationships we were able to hear from so many influential people. One speaker that really stood out to me was her past student Jesse Lane. One thing he discussed that really resonated with me was to form habits to make you better and happy. Creating these habits is going to help shape you to become intentional and truly your best self. You can?

Staying positive

Each and every class Molly entered with a smile and a positive attitude. She was always excited to spend time and work with us. Positive energy is infectious and makes any environment more enjoyable.?

This last week, Molly described to us the "domino effect". She explained how you need to look at both sides of life and you can learn from every situation. After hearing about her hardships and tough situations, she always found the positives in each situation. When things get tough, it gets hard to try and be positive and how to be able to learn from them. I think this is going to be something I need to take with me in these next stages of life. Even though I might not get the job I want or get picked for a certain project, it is always important to stay positive and figure out how to do better the next time.?

Don't be Afraid to Ask Questions

Before this semester, I was not a student that would speak up and answer questions in class. Molly has created such a comfortable and encouraging environment to be able to step out of my comfort zone. I never realized the importance of asking the tough questions. Molly's teaching style is very different from other teachers. She wants her students to ask questions and get involved in the conversation. After this semester I have realized how important it is to be apart of the conversation and that you don't have to be afraid to speak up.

A project we were able to complete this semester was the store walks. For this project we were able to meet with store executives and discuss all the different thoughts that went into product placement in stores. I was able to ask many questions and hear all the ideas that went into planning the store layout and product placement.

Be Open to Change

Many different speakers this semester covered how change is normal. When looking for jobs after college, I feel that we are expected to find the perfect job. After all the advice and encouragement, I now realize that change is normal and ok. Growing up in NWA and attending college in Fayetteville I have lived in this "bubble" my whole life. Hearing speakers and past students talk about the steps and changes they made during their careers changed my perspective on career/personal growth. The business industry is always making different advancements and changes. You need to be open to change to keep up with the world around you.?

Thank You

I couldn't thank Molly Rapert enough for this semester. I truly believe I have become a better student because of her class. Thank you to every guest speaker, small group leader, and store executive that took the time to work with us this semester. I am forever grateful for this class and I am so glad I got to become a part of the #rapertmktg family. I truly believe that Molly's class was a domino in my life and I can’t wait to see where my future takes me. I now can see why so many past students still keep in touch with Molly. She is truly a light in this world and I am so glad our paths were able to cross!