My fellow business ambassadors and I preparing to enjoy our end-of-year “Vacasa” event at GoApe! in Indiana. We had a blast completing the courses and ziplines through the trees, a great way to celebrate all the hard work we put in over the year.
I came to Purdue thinking success would be straightforward: go to class, get good grades, and find opportunities. As an Integrated Business and Engineering (IBE) student at the Daniels School, I expected my growth to come from typical lectures and exams, like at all schools. However, a couple of weeks into my first semester, I quickly learned that my biggest growth wasn’t coming from class, but rather everything I did outside of it.
This realization came from being heavily involved in student organizations across the Daniels School. Through Project Management at Purdue and Purdue’s IBE Electric Vehicle Go-Kart Team, I began to apply concepts from my engineering, business, and leadership courses directly to real projects. What we discussed in lectures was not just about theory, but rather application.
FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE
Giving my mid-semester presentation as a project manager for Project Management at Purdue. This was a great chance to showcase my public speaking skills while getting valuable feedback on my work.
For example, on the EV Go-Kart Team, I wasn’t just helping build a competitive kart. I was contributing to ways in which we were optimizing performance, managing budgets and analyzing data — all under tight deadlines.
Similarly, as part of Project Management at Purdue, I led and collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to coordinate deliverables and communicate with stakeholders. These weren’t simulations. They were real responsibilities that helped push me outside of my comfort zone rather quickly.
The opportunity to serve as a Business Ambassador was another one that helped me grow. Representing over 4,000 students to prospective families challenged me to clearly articulate what makes my experience at the Daniels School both special and distinct.
Explaining our culture of leadership and initiative strengthened my understanding of it, while also helping me build confidence in my communication skills. These are qualities that no homework or assignment could teach alone.
The new class of business ambassadors and me at our mentor night event. It was great to get to know my now-close friends for the first time while also meeting my mentor for the year.
EXPERIENCE CREATES OPPORTUNITY
Through my time here, I’ve learned that the Daniels School is extremely intentional about the connection it helps students build between extracurricular involvements and rigorous academics. By fostering an environment where students can test ideas in real-time, gain leadership experience early, and apply their critical and analytical skills together – it provides students with a comprehensive foundation. While my time in class has helped me build knowledge, the organizations I’ve been in have really helped me build on it.
My friends and I in the stands at an evening Purdue football game. The atmosphere at these games was so fun and meaningful because it showed me the strength Purdue has when we’re all rooting together.
By stepping into roles early, even when I didn’t feel fully ready, I developed practical skills and confidence that translated into measurable results. This helped me learn that growth accelerates when you actively apply what you’re learning, even if you don’t feel 100% ready. This approach ultimately helped me secure a manufacturing internship with Stellantis for the upcoming summer, even as a freshman. Recruiters weren’t just interested in my coursework; they wanted to hear how I had applied it.
GET INVOLVED FROM DAY ONE
To the future Boilermakers reading this, here’s my one piece of advice: get involved sooner than you think you should. Don’t wait until you feel qualified, ready or for it to feel right. The classroom builds your foundation, but involvement builds your differentiation, and using this to your advantage is what truly sets you apart.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue building on this momentum, and this is a mindset I want to carry into every internship, opportunity, or leadership experience I pursue in my future.
Author Richard (RJ) Pompa is a sophomore at the Mitch Daniels School of Business at Purdue University, majoring in Integrated Business and Engineering. He is from Rochester Hills, Michigan. RJ serves as the Director of Communications for the Daniels School’s Business Ambassadors, a member of the IBE EV Go-Kart Team, and a mentor for the Larsen Leaders Academy.
About the Mitch Daniels School of Business: The Mitch Daniels School of Business at Purdue University is building the future of business. Comprised of the Bruce White Undergraduate Institute and the Krannert Graduate Institute, the school offers top undergraduate, master’s, PhD, and professional development programs in critical business areas. The Daniels School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the leading global reviewer of business schools. Guided by five strategic pillars — Academic Prowess, Freedom and Capitalism, Integration of STEM and Business, Powerful Business Partnerships, and Transformational Student Experience — the Daniels School provides a STEM-infused, interdisciplinary education that empowers graduates to lead and innovate in a rapidly evolving world.
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