On March 27, 2008, Nat Stoddard, Chairman of Crenshaw Associates, was
a guest speaker for the Smeal MBA Program’s Personal Development
Series. Over a casual lunch, several dozen Smeal MBAs were treated to
Mr. Stoddard’s own fascinating career history and the history of
Crenshaw Associates, specialists in career management for senior
executives. Mr. Stoddard’s personal and industry-gleaned wisdom will
almost certainly prove invaluable to all those who attended this
interactive and informative luncheon. Most saliently, Mr. Crenshaw
noted that while many MBA students are focused on getting A job or
getting THE job when they leave school, it is most advantageous to
focus instead on one’s desired end result, and to search for positions
that are clearly on the path to that result. This shift in thinking
was, for me, a simple one to make, and has helped me already by
enabling me to hone in on precisely where I’d like to do my internship
– saving me time in my search efforts. Mr. Stoddard’s simple speech
is sticking with me and, I am sure, will shape what career moves I
take this summer and as I move to plan to leave Smeal next year.
Mary Gorman
MBA Class of 2009
Mary Gorman managed a global supply chain the fashion industry for six
years before coming to Smeal for her MBA. She is concentrating in
Supply Chain Management and Corporate Financial Analysis and Planning.