Besides the incredible academic and research opportunities, a diverse student population, and an impressive faculty roster, one thing that I will always rave about at UC Berkeley is the variety and professionalism of student extracurricular clubs. While what we learn in the classroom is vitally important to our futures, taking advantage of our Bay Area location and career oriented resources is what truly ensures that Berkeley will set us on an ideal post-grad path.
Berkeley has dozens of business clubs, some of which are notoriously difficult to join. From consulting to finance to technology, the popularity of startups and business centered careers for students has been on the rise, and joining these types of clubs has allowed students to gain valuable first hand experience of what business industries look, while also building student community and networking with professionals in their interest fields. This spring semester, in my third year here, I decided to branch out and try something I had never tried before: joining a business club.
As someone who is interested in learning more about the music industry and how business plays a role in its inner workings, I decided to apply to the Business Careers and Entertainment Club, more commonly known as BCEC, which hosts a variety of committees in fields of work like music, film, television, media, and many more. Despite the competitive nature of the club’s admissions, I opted to apply anyway, thinking that even going through the application would help me get a better feel for what the club was like. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the current executive and members of the club were not only extremely passionate for the organization’s wellbeing, but were friendly, supportive, and encouraging to the potential applicants.
As I progressed through the selection process, I was really impressed at how the leadership afforded time to really get to know you on a personal level and took time to make sure I, and the other applicants, understood the projects and their expectations. I especially appreciated how my time, effort, and ideas were validated and appreciated as I progressed through the interviews. I was very surprised when my committee leader reached out and let me know that I had been selected to join the group. In my first month as a member, I’ve had the chance to develop my professional assets, create lasting bonds, and begin outreaching with and generating content for a variety of music artists.
So here are some of my takeaways from my experience thus far:
The community and relationships you build in a business organization are just as important as important resources and opportunities you may receive, and if you aren’t happy in your membership, you probably won’t enjoy the club as much. Additionally, a business club is a great way to delve into more niche interests while also deciding if business is truly what you want to pursue. Each club here at Cal is different, in their club culture, offers, and expectations, so it’s important to do your research and figure out what values matter to you.