I love LAMP

I am in love – that “you’re-so-giddy-it-makes-other-people-sick” kind of love. I walk around every day with a big, goofy grin on my face because I am in L-O-V-E with L-A-M-P.\nYes, I love LAMP.\nNo, I’m not referencing Brick Tamland from “Anchorman.” I really do love LAMP.\nLAMP is the Liberal Arts and Management Program, which allows students to integrate honors-level coursework between the Kelley School of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences. I will graduate with a bachelor of arts in English and a LAMP certificate this May. \nBasically, I will have the skills and insights I need to rule the world. Or, at least, enact some of the changes I think the world desperately needs. \nBy taking classes about business law, management and accounting, I have a greater sense of how the business world operates. I have especially enjoyed taking special LAMP classes like “The Price of Prosperity” and “Individual Rights and Social Responsibilities.” In these classes, I learned more about various business practices – some I agree with and some I don’t. I have been encouraged to consider the state of business today from multiple viewpoints, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about social responsibility, business ethics, globalization and other topics. My thorough, inter-disciplinary education has given me an advantage by combining my love of the liberal arts – critical thinking and communication – with a more traditional business background.\nLooking at business from all these different viewpoints has allowed me to develop a sense of my own strengths, values and personal ethics. This greater understanding will help me find a job that rewards me financially but not at the cost of my own integrity. I have also learned that my perception of integrity is not the only one – being open-minded and working to understand why other people feel the way they do is also an important skill.\nJoining LAMP was one of the smartest things I have ever done. Over the past three years, I have acquired close friendships, professional connections and invaluable lessons that have both defined my college career and opened up doors for my future. I have had the privilege of meeting with a variety of professionals – people who work in international sales, finance and donor relations for non-profit organizations.\nBy taking advantage of all that LAMP offers in terms of coursework and hands-on experience, I feel confident in my ability to find a job that is both financially and personally rewarding when I graduate. If you’d like to find out more about combining business skills with a major in the College of Arts and Sciences, you can visit www.indiana.edu/~lamp.\nI am so happy I became a LAMPer, and I am grateful for everything I have learned from this experience. The past three years have been wonderful, and while I’m sad for it all to be over in just a matter of months, I’m excited about what the future holds for me.\nI love LAMP, and I’m pretty sure LAMP loves me back!