Sustainable Business for the Musically Inclined

Combining a double-major in PMC and Anthropology with a passion for music and sustainability, Laura Scott has found new ways to think about her Individual Program of Study.

About Me

I am a Process Management & Consulting and Anthropology double-major. While these two majors seem very disparate, anthropology has helped me build important business skills, since it involves understanding new ways of thinking and being open-minded to other viewpoints. Outside the classroom, I am in Net Impact where I am serving on the planning committee for our upcoming Sustainability & Business Symposium.  I also volunteer with Campus Kitchens and serve on their executive board.

One of my biggest passions has always been music. In anthropology my concentration is ethnomusicology, the study of music cultures throughout the world. On campus, I am the assistant director of my a cappella group, the Intonations. As a member of Delta Omicron, I help support musicians and music education on campus and in the community; we even bought recorders for an entire class of music students at Matthew Whaley Elementary.

Highlights

The faculty and staff of the Business School have really made the biggest difference for me. When I got into Mason, I didn't have any clear idea of what I wanted to do.  Miller Hall was brand new, beautiful, and terribly intimidating.  But many faculty members were there to walk me through all the possibilities that business had to offer and help me plan out my future.  Furthermore, it was great to learn of the continual career support the Business Program offers.  Fridays are for networking and career-building events (there are not usually business classes on Fridays). With programs like DoG Street to Wall Street, mock interviews, and career fairs, the Business Program provides plenty of opportunities for career development and networking that make me feel more confident about life beyond graduation.

Defining Moment

Joining Net Impact has been one of the greatest decisions that I have made. I went to the Spring Symposium last year, where the group invited Aaron Schiller to discuss the role businesses can play in helping the community and the environment. He explained the small steps that businesses have taken to reduce their impact while saving money and creating a more positive work environment. That's when it really clicked for me. I remember walking home from that and raving for two hours straight about how much sense it made, how revolutionary an idea it was to me, and how that was exactly what I wanted to do with my life.

Future Plans

I hope to pursue a career in Corporate Social Responsibility, helping companies realize and control the impact they have on their community. As a consultant, I will advise businesses on how to use their power and resources to create real social change and reduce their impact on the environment. No matter where I may end up in my career, it will be with a company that shares my values and I can be proud to work for.