There's much more to college than academics. Melanie Voigt was also looking for a university with school 
spirit. A 2015 graduate, watching the Purdue men's basketball team beat IU twice during her senior year is one of her favorite memories. See what else she had to say about her time at Purdue in this Q&A.
Q: Where did you go to high school?
A: I went to Mayo High School in Rochester, MN.
Q: Why did you decide to come to Purdue as a freshman?
A: I knew that I wanted to study business, and the Krannert School of Management is among the highest ranked programs in the country. I also wanted to attend a large university, but not get lost in the mix. At Krannert, I got the best of both worlds. Krannert is relatively small, about the same number of students as my high school, but it still had all the benefits of a large university. I also was very impressed with the 96% percent job placement rate within six months of graduation. In addition to Purdue's academic benefits, I loved the campus. As a high school senior, I had toured over 20 college campuses, and Purdue was the one campus that felt like home. I love the diverse student body and the lively campus feel. There are always people around, and something to do on campus. I also wanted to go to a school that had a lot of school spirit. In high school, I was a three sport varsity athlete, and I attended almost every sporting event. I enjoy being in a place that has pride in their school, and the Boilermakers definitely do! Given the combination of academics and atmosphere, I chose Purdue.
Q: What degree did you earn?
A: I double majored in Economics and Management with concentrations in International Business and Business Management.
Q: Did you change your major along the way? Why or why not?
A: I actually came to Purdue as solely a Management major. I knew I wanted to add a concentration or minor, but I was not entirely sure what else I wanted to study. Luckily, Krannert gave me plenty of information on all the degree opportunities, and I started looking into all of my options. I enjoyed studying economics and talked with my academic advisor about adding the second major in the fall semester of my sophomore year. My advisor actually helped me realize I not only had time for two degrees, but I could chose courses to complete two concentrations as well.
Q: Tell me about any internships, extracurricular activities or study abroad experiences that had a lasting impact on you.
A: I did Krannert’s summer program, Business Studies in London. I took the classes British Life in Business and Fundamentals of Finance. It was so interesting to not only learn about all the culture and history, but to actually be immersed in it. Many of the historical places we learned about, we also toured. The British Life in Business class not only had us researching and discussing the past, it also had us thinking about the future. We had many discussions about if the euro would last, which is still a topic of debate. We also researched the British health care system and compared it to our own, finding pros and cons in both systems. In addition, we had trips thinking about our own future. We toured companies like Bloomberg and Barclays. At the company visits we learned about the companies and the many different roles within them. We were even able to talk and ask questions to a panel of Americans working abroad about their advice and experiences. Overall, I learned so much about British culture, international business, what I wanted to do and what I wanted to find out more about.
Q: Tell me about your employer and what you’ll be doing there.
A: I will be working for Shell Oil Company in Houston, Texas. I will be in the Shell Graduate Program, so I will take on two roles in the next three years gaining experience in many different areas of business. In my first role, I will be working as a commercial analyst for Shell Chemical in downstream.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories of your time at Purdue?
A: There are so many great memories it is hard to pick just one, but one of my favorite memories was watching Purdue Basketball beat IU Basketball in both games this season. The first victory was at home in Mackey, which brought campus so much excitement! There’s nothing like seeing the Boilermakers win big against Big Ten rivals. Especially when you get a huge group of friends together to watch Purdue play. (A highlight featuring Jon Octeus.) I’m so excited to see how well the Boilermakers do for the 2015-2016 season!
Q: Do you have a favorite class, teacher or staff member?
A: My favorite class that I took was Behavioral Economics taught by Professor Cason. It was just such an interesting class, and affirmed my desire to be an economics major. I recommend the class to everyone who asks which economics classes they should take. We learned about human behavior in a variety of economic environments. The class also let me practice and improve my excel skills. We had lab almost every week and I really enjoyed them. It was so fascinating to participate in a study, analyze the class results, and compare the results to the original studies that had been done.
Q: What advice do you have for incoming Krannert students?
A: I feel like almost every Krannert student will tell you this, but my advice for freshman is get involved. I have learned so much in the classroom; however, I have learned many different lessons from extracurricular activities. There are so many options at Purdue, whether it is getting involved in Krannert or through other organizations. Getting involved makes Purdue seem so small, you learn a lot and you gain so many lifelong friends. In my time here I was involved in quite a few campus organizations. I was involved in Greek life and was able to hold a leadership position as vice president of committees for my sorority. In addition, I was on committees for Purdue University Dance Marathon, involved with Boiler Gold Rush, and Boiler Gold Ambassadors to name a few more. There are so many clubs and organizations on campus for any of your interests!