MORE ABOUT MOLLY
Graduation Date: June 2008
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
High School: Saline High School
Awards & Achievements:
- Dean's List
- CYA Study Abroad Program
Campus Involvement:
- DePaul Marketing Club
- Volunteer at St. Vincent DePaul food pantry
- Sales Leadership program
- DePaul Athletic ticket office
Current Employment:
- DePaul Athletic department
Molly McCann
Area of Study:Marketing with a concentration on Sales Leadership
I chose my major because... I love commerce, I love interacting with all kinds of different people and I do not think there are enough powerful businesswomen in the world today. I want to change that!
My favorite thing to do on campus is... attend DePaul sporting events, and read outside on the Quad on a nice day.
I decided to attend DePaul because... DePaul has been a tradition in my family since my grandfather was the sports information director during the time of the late, great basketball Coach Ray Meyer. My father attended DePaul, and after hearing stories of his wonderful days spent in Lincoln Park, I knew it was a place I at least wanted to check out. I knew I did not want to stay in Michigan and wanted to be in a big city, so I looked at schools in New York City and Washington, D.C., but when I arrived at DePaul, I knew I was home. The Midwestern attitude and feel, the many transportation options I had to visit my parents and sisters back in Ann Arbor, the very close knit atmosphere of the DePaul family and the fact that Chicago truly is a world-class city drew me in to this wonderful place. Not to mention the fantastic job opportunities, which are plentiful, diverse and lucrative — something I have come to appreciate much more now that it is my senior year!
The learning environment here at DePaul is... very unique. Having small class sizes, teachers who are very accessible (and who actually know my name), and having access to great resources are key. I am in the College of Commerce, so I ride the El down to the Loop campus every day. It is the most amazing thing to sit on a 10-minute subway ride, see the beautiful city of Chicago out your window and really experience the amazing diversity, culture and hustle and bustle of a city like Chicago, but still be able to return to Lincoln Park. To this day, I still feel incredibly grown up riding down to the class during the morning rush hour; it is fantastic! The learning at DePaul is not limited to just the classroom; I learn something new every day I step outside in this wonderful city.
The class I most enjoyed here was... all of my sales leadership classes. Through these classes, I have learned so much about business, how to better prepare myself for the "real world," and how to make myself a more attractive potential employee to companies. I have learned everything from proper e-mail and phone etiquette, to the perfect handshake, to the way in which to build my network to will help me form contacts that will aid in my future success. All of the teachers that I have had have been more then willing to go above and beyond to help students find employment.
When I have free time, I like to... hang out at the local watering holes, especially Kelly’s Pub, a DePaul tradition! I like the feeling of knowing my grandfather and father used to hang out there when they went to DePaul, and there is nothing better then celebrating with your friends and the coaches after a DePaul Blue Demons victory!
My favorite thing to do off campus is... take a walk down to the lakefront to read a book and do homework, attend a sporting event in the city, or just kind of explore, in hopes that I'll come across a fantastic new restaurant or store.
Here, the diversity of students, faculty and staff... is really amazing. I come from a very small town with little diversity, so being here has opened my eyes up to so many different races, religions, political views — you name it. It has really taught me to have an open mind and embrace the differences of those around me.
The greatest thing about going to school in Chicago is... How can I choose just one? Probably just the overall energy and feel of the city. When a Chicago sports team is headed for post-season play, you can definitely feel the excitement in the air. People here just enjoy life, and it shows. My whole extended family lives here, also and my parents and sisters love to come here to visit, it is a great place to entertain visitors. Oh, and not to mention the reaction of your friends when they come to visit from their state schools and they say, "This is where you get to go to college?"
At DePaul, service learning is... essential. St. Vincent de Paul was a man who dedicated his whole life to serving others and I try to keep that in mind in my everyday life. There are many different opportunities to volunteer at DePaul and around the City of Chicago. Volunteering at the food pantry at St. Vincent de Paul Parish has been one of the most rewarding things I have done in college.
The Study Abroad Program is an attractive option for students considering attending DePaul because of... the large variety of travel options available. Personally, I chose to study in Athens, Greece. There are literally around 20 places you can choose from and you can choose various times to attend. If you have a heavy course load and cannot attend during an actual quarter, there is the opportunity to study over winter break, or even spring break. Many of the programs do not have language requirements either, so just because you do not know the language, it does not limit your options. What was really very impressive to me was the time in which Aga and Joe (the directors in the Study Abroad office) put in to making our application process smooth and painless. They spent countless hours putting together folders and paperwork so that we busy students would not have to. They also held a series of three meetings, which prepared us for life abroad, which was so unbelievably helpful, something not a lot of my friends experienced.
I'll most remember my Study Abroad experience because... It’s hard to really pinpoint something I will remember most, because this was by far the most amazing time and experience of my life. I would have to say the friends I made and the places I saw will truly always be with me. Having classes on the Acropolis in front of the Parthenon, traveling to the Greek Islands for the weekends, eating the most delicious food ever, and meeting people who will be my friends for a lifetime was priceless, and I will never be the same! I wholeheartedly encourage the Study Abroad experience to anyone who is able to take advantage of it — you won't regret it.
The best thing about DePaul is... location, location, location! I know its so cliché, but its so true in more ways then one. The beautiful city as our campus, the Midwestern mentality and the amazing job opportunities that this city has for all majors is something you cannot find anywhere else!
My greatest success as a student here has been... growing up. I'm hours away from my parents and sisters. I live by myself. No one comes in and wakes me up or goes grocery shopping for me — if I want something, I have to go after it. I have established myself as an independent college student and that makes me feel pretty successful!
After graduation, I plan to... work in either sales, or sports marketing and public relations. I want to do this for a few years then come back to school to DePaul's very prestigious Kellstadt Graduate School of Business to acquire my MBA!
The one thing I’d like to say to students considering DePaul... the college application process is a daunting task, we've all been there! Just keep this in mind: DePaul might be different than other schools you have visited, or places your friends are going, but I have found that sometimes taking a leap of faith and trying something completely foreign and different to you is so much more rewarding in the end. I have had so many friends come and visit and they cannot believe they passed DePaul over during the application process.
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