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| Wade Giles and Interim Dean William Lane |
May 12, 2008
On Friday, April 4, 2008, LSU E. J. Ourso College Business Council Vice President and finance major Wade Giles appeared before the college’s Dean’s Advisory Council to offer his views of the university and the college as a student. Below is a transcript of the speech he presented to the council.
At our house, we have a Texas A&M emblem tiled to the bottom of our pool, and if my dad had it his way, we would have a Collie…but my mom said they shed too much. Needless to say, I was raised to be a Texas Aggie. My dad, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncle are all Aggies.
I, on the other hand, wanted to do something different. The first time I ever came on campus was during the 2002 state swimming championships. I remember driving through campus on a school bus, being absolutely mesmerized by the stately oaks, the Italian Renaissance architecture and the fact that there was a real LIVE tiger on campus! I knew, right then and there, that this was going to be my future home.
What I thought at the time were the “coolest” parts of LSU couldn’t compare to all of the great opportunities that the business college has provided me.
My freshman year, I wanted to focus on academics and not get overwhelmed with extracurriculars, but by my sophomore year I decided to join the business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. As a member of Delta Sigma Pi, I was able to give back to the community by building homes with Habitat for Humanity, coordinating blood drives, tutoring children, etc. I was bitten by the bug of getting involved within the college.
My junior year in college, I took Finance 3715 with Michael Blue. I’ll never forget: we didn’t have class the first week of the spring semester due to him being in New York City for an accounting competition. I had heard about PwC’s xACT in the past, but never paid much attention to it. The following week, he came into class very excited to tell us all about their big win in NYC and how incredible the competition was. Later on, I asked him some questions about it and he suggested I join a team for the following year. I learned that my previous Acct 2001 professor Dr. DeLaune was going to coach a team, so I immediately signed up with her. Little did I know that this competition was going to impact my life in a major way.
I had to work with a group of very diverse personalities (including that of my little sister), create a plan for a country to change from rules-based to principles-based accounting, and then present that in front of a panel and answer their challenging questions. We had to compete all over again in NYC for the National Finals along with the other Top 5 schools in the country. Talk about nerve-racking! However, the connections I have made, the lessons I have learned and the memories I have due to this competition have been a significant part of my education at LSU.
Following xACT, I was asked to run for Vice President of the Business College Council. After some thought, I accepted and campaigned hard for the position. I really enjoy getting in touch with my classmates and listening to their concerns and comments, and trying my best to answer their questions. Currently, the council is preparing our “Cans for Crawfish” drive, which will be held April 24 and will benefit the Baton Rouge Food Bank.
One obstacle the council has been trying to overcome is getting the WSJ back into the business college. Currently, we have the Financial Times, but an overwhelming amount of the students want the Journal back.
I am so glad that the Business College Council and the Dean’s Advisory Council will finally be working together. This will increase the productivity of both councils and allow each of them to gain vital insight into one another.
One thing is for certain: the LSU student body definitely has respect for the Business College. We are known for having a rigorous curriculum and a highly competitive admittance standard. I am proud to be a member of this college, as it has taken countless hours in the library and in the classroom to achieve such an honor. Just ask anyone who has taken ECON 2035 or ACCT 2001…they’ll tell you it was quite a challenge.
Another point that I would like to make is about some of the teachers that we have within our college. Teachers like Michael Blue, Jonie Nunnery, Charles Roussel, Laura DeLaune, Walter Morales, and the list goes on. These teachers engage us and teach us real life examples…something the textbook doesn’t always do. I can’t tell you how often I’ve had a teacher say “Scratch this part from your book because you will never see it done this way on the job. Here, let me show you how it is done in business today.” When a teacher shows a passion like that – a real yearn to teach us – we listen. I can honestly tell you that I have learned something from every professor that I have had…even if it’s patience!
Now I have exactly 25 schooldays until my undergraduate college career is officially over…not that I’m counting or anything. No, but in all seriousness…this has been an incredible place to grow and develop into an adult who is ready go out there and face the business world head-on. I’m going to miss strolling the halls of CEBA…err, I mean Patrick F. Taylor Hall, at all hours of the day and night, going to lunch with my professors, going to the driving range during my breaks between classes, and all the other things that have made college so special.
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