A native of Blue Bell, Pa., Shannon Conway is graduating from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics with majors in management information systems and business analytics.
Conway was nominated for this series by Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems Edward Hartano, who recognized her as an outstanding student.
In this profile, Conway shares her favorite UD memories, how she has changed during her time at UD and her plans following graduation.
Lerner: How do you think you have changed from your first semester at UD to now?
Conway: I have gained so much confidence in myself and my academic abilities since my first semester at UD. I often second-guessed myself and after spending a year and a half doing online high school due to Covid; I wasn’t sure how I would handle the balance of making friends, excelling academically, and getting involved on campus. But during my first semester, I learned the importance of using Google Calendar to help manage my time effectively and realized that stepping outside of my comfort zone was necessary to connect with new people. Since then, I’ve continued to grow by putting myself in new situations, building meaningful relationships, and finding systems to stay organized and succeed in all aspects of my life.
Lerner: What have been some of the challenges you have faced during your college experience and how did you overcome them?
Conway: One of the biggest challenges I faced at UD was deciding what I wanted my future career to be. I started as a finance major, but I wasn’t sure it was the right path for me. I was overwhelmed by the potential options and didn’t feel passionate about one specific direction. I started by talking to the seniors in my business fraternity to learn what they like about their majors and career paths. From there I narrowed it down to economics, sports, operations, and analytics. I realized since they all sounded like good options, I wouldn’t truly know what I wanted until I saw them in a work environment so I applied to different experiences, like job shadowing and internships. I then had an incredible experience with University of Delaware Sports Science and Analytics, which led me to change my major to business analytics. I discovered that while I love sports, analytics was work that I enjoy across industries. This experience shaped my path and helped me find a career direction that excites me.
Lerner: What was your favorite signature UD experience and why?
Conway: My favorite signature UD experience was joining Delta Sigma Pi, Lerner’s official professional business fraternity. I rushed at the beginning of my freshman fall semester after finding out that both my TA and peer mentor in BUAD110 were in the organization. I thought it would be a great way to become involved with Lerner and meet people that would be in my classes. Little did I know that I would make meaningful friendships and learn professional skills from my peers that would help me reach my career goals. DSP helped me develop a strong support network of peers and professionals, and allowed me to take on leadership positions to give back to new members. My college experience would not have been the same without my Deltasig Brothers!
Lerner: Did you have a Lerner professor or staff member that had a big impact on your UD experience?
Conway: The Lerner staff member who had the greatest impact on me was Minda Watson, Assistant Director of Lerner Career Services. Over the past two years, she has been more than just a boss; she’s been a mentor, an advocate, and my own personal cheerleader. Whether I needed help preparing for an interview, revising my resume, or navigating professional uncertainty, Minda was always available with thoughtful advice and constant support. She helped me believe in my potential at times when I doubted myself and consistently pushed me to pursue opportunities I thought I might be unqualified for. Minda’s ability to connect with students on both a personal and professional level is rare, and I truly feel lucky to have had her by my side during my time at Lerner. I also had many amazing professors that have shaped my educational journey. A few stand out in that they not only taught me the course content, but how to apply the course content to my future career and life outside of it. Thank you to Phil Pyle, Susan Murphy, Caroline Swift, Junbo Son, Hanieh Javadi, and Jared Sharpe!
Lerner: What does being a “Lifelong Lerner” mean to you?
Conway: To me, being a “Lifelong Lerner” means making the most of the resources and opportunities Lerner provides and applying that knowledge throughout your life and career. Lerner offers so many ways to grow as a future business professional, through mentoring, clubs, internship programs, and career advice, that go far beyond just the content in your major. These experiences are extremely important to your professional, personal, and academic success. Being a Lifelong Lerner also means giving back after graduation, and I hope to join the Lerner Mentoring Program as a mentor in the future and stay involved in the alumni network to help the programs thrive and grow.
Lerner: What advice would you give to incoming freshmen to make the most out of their college experience?
Conway: Choose two or three activities that interest you and commit to them fully, rather than joining many and spreading yourself too thin. You’ll build stronger friendships and gain much more out of the experiences by committing time and energy to growing with the group. If you join a club, try to get a leadership position like being on the executive board. If you have a job, try to get promoted and look for ways to take on responsibility. The more you put in, the more you’ll get out of it!
Lerner: What are your plans following graduation?
Conway: I’ve accepted a full-time role as an associate specialist with Sunoco LP in Newtown Square, Pa. I’ll be utilizing my analytics and operations education to support their business development department.