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My mom likes to tell her friends a story about how my sister and I are different. Because of my mom's job, with her being a flight attendant, we traveled a lot. I grew up in Stark County, Ohio and we traveled to South Carolina for a mini vacation. We packed our bags, drove to the airport, checked in, and eventually boarded the plane. At this time, I was in elementary school. My sister and I had seats next to each other, and we had to occupy ourselves for the next hour and a half. I look over at my sister, and she is on her phone watching movies or listening to music. I, on the other hand, am sorting a bag of trail mix by ingredient and documenting the percentage of each type of snack in my notebook.
It's interesting to see how even when I was younger, I always gravitated towards numbers. In middle school, I carried a calculator in my pocket to determine unit costs in the grocery store or to calculate the tip when my family ate out at a restaurant. I am the type of person who saves money rather than spending it because I want the greatest value for my dollar. However, by reflecting on my experiences for my Professional and Civic Engagement Pathway, I understand a different meaning of value.
My name is Rowan Hawkins and I am a second-year accounting major at the USCL in Lancaster, SC. In May, I will earn my Associate in Science-Business and transfer to the University of South Carolina flagship campus in Columbia, SC. After that, I plan to pursue a Masters in Business and become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
During my time at USCL, I have taken multiple business classes ranging from economics to business writing to management. From my economics class, Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 221), I learned how to calculate opportunity costs. Most people forget to account for time. For example, if you wanted to determine which method of travel is cheaper for a business trip you have to evaluate the cost of the ticket and the cost of your time. If you value your time at $20/hr, taking the train might be a better option than taking the plane; however, if you value your time at $100/hr, the better alternative is now the plane.
Evaluating Opportunity Costs Example from Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 221)
Concepts from my economics class helped me better gain insight into valuing my time. Before I would only look at the price and not consider other factors like time or labor. With my management course, Principles of Management (MGMT 371), I learned that management and leadership are not the same thing. Management refers to running a company through a task-oriented mindset while leadership refers to motivating, inspiring, and developing people. Through my experiences from my business courses at USCL, I am aware that the word "value" relates to more than just money, but also to relationships with the people around me.
I also am involved in USCL clubs. I am President of PBL (Phi Beta Lambda), Treasurer of the Chemistry Club, member of D.E.F.I.N.E (the women's organization), and member of the TTRPG Club (Table Top Role Playing Club). When I started my first semester, I was thrilled to be able to meet others. In high school, I was never involved with clubs or extracurriculars, so I did not develop strong connections with my peers. I am proud of how much I have grown as a leader over the past two years. I have become more outgoing and I thoroughly enjoy getting to know new people and connecting with others to cultivate life-long relationships.
With my Key Insight Value Beyond the Price Tag, I will discuss what it means to understand the importance of building relationships from a business and personal standpoint. With my other Key Insight Diverse Talents, Dependable Teams, I will reflect on my internship experience at the Arras Foundation by considering the benefits of group projects. Lastly, in my leadership section, Consistency Through Listening, I will recommend ways a company can increase employee satisfaction and build a better foundation for new employees.
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