2021 Best & Brightest Business Major: Jessica Anton, Wisconsin School of Business

Jessica Anton

University of Wisconsin School of Business

“From languages to recipes, I am always trying to learn something new.”

Fun fact about yourself: I would like to visit all 50 states – I have 15 more to go!

Hometown: Sussex, WI

High School: Hamilton High School

Major: Marketing and International Business

Minor:  Spanish Studies for Business Students

Favorite Business Course: International Business 200. I always looked forward to attending this class and the information I learned will be valuable in both my career and personal endeavors.

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

  • Student Organizations: Business Badgers and Beyond, Advertising Club, Class Act
  • Community Work: Sussex Area Tennis Association-Volunteer Coach
  • Awards: Dean’s List, Recipient of the 2020 Keys to Travel Scholarship

Where have you interned during your college career?

  • Virtual Communications and Marketing Intern at Go Tico! Costa Rica
  • Marketing Assistant at PCC in Germantown, WI
  • Academic Peer Advisor at the Wisconsin School of Business in Madison, WI
  • Graphic Design Assistant at Burghardt Sporting Goods in Brookfield, WI

Where will you be working after graduation? I am not sure yet.

Who is your favorite professor? I have had many good professors during my time at UW-Madison, but I would have to say Sachin Tuli. Mr. Tuli’s classes were always very engaging.  I learned a lot from the course material and from him sharing personal experiences with the class.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Talk to your professors! Ask to shadow someone you know who works in the field you are interested in! The best way to know if a business-related field is the right path for you is to experience it.  Also, learning from people currently in the field you are interested in is an awesome opportunity.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? Seeing how many people of different educational backgrounds and disciplines have applied or transferred their skills to the field of business. I have met and learned from people with traditional BBA degrees, but also from those with degrees in Physics, Education, Graphic Design, Statistics and many more. Business is such a broad field with a lot of opportunities to apply knowledge from other disciplines as well.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? The business school has so many resources and unique opportunities available for undergraduates. I did take advantage of quite a few, but I wish I would have made it a priority earlier in my college career.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am proud of being accepted into the Wisconsin School of Business. I spent a lot of time both inside and outside the classroom working towards this goal, and it was very rewarding to find out I had been accepted.

Which classmate do you most admire? From academics to professional endeavors, Ellie Sumiec is one of the most hard-working and dedicated people I know.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My mom, Sharon Anton. I greatly appreciate her patience, candor and countless hours spent supporting me as I pursue my personal and academic goals.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

  1. I would like to complete an expatriate assignment successfully
  2. Continue to improve my language skills and effectively use them in a professional setting

What are your hobbies? I enjoy reading, hiking, card games, tennis and practicing my language skills.

What made Jessica such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2021?

“Over the past two years, I have had the pleasure of working with Jessica in her role as an academic peer advisor in the Office of Academic Advising within the Undergraduate Program in the Wisconsin School of Business.  Jessica is one of the most student- centered, dedicated, and innovative academic peer advisors we have had on our team. She approaches academic advising with compassion and provides holistic support to our students. Jessica always asks great questions and refers students to appropriate campus resources to ensure they receive the help they need to be successful not only during their time at UW-Madison but after graduation as well. The maturity and professionalism she brings to her role echoes that of a professional advisor.

This year Jessica has also played an integral role in developing creative marketing materials for our academic advising team. Jessica created flyers to market our services during our academic advising enrollment seasons, developed a marketing campaign to help students explore business majors, and has also created materials to promote our academic peer role during our hiring season. Through her time working on these many projects, Jessica always sought feedback and was able to put our ideas and vision into reality!  Her creative mindset has allowed us to effectively communicate with students in a virtual platform in unique and student-centered ways.

In May, Jessica will graduate with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with majors in Marketing and International Business with a Certificate in Spanish Studies for Business Students. Jessica will be greatly missed as she truly embodies all of the traits of an incredible Business Badger. Jessica’s work as a peer advisor will have a long-lasting impact not only in the Wisconsin School of Business, but in the greater UW-Madison community.”

Lauren Wypiszynski
Academic Advisor
Wisconsin School of Business

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