My experience at TechEd

     I am a senior attending Grand Valley State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on management information systems.  I, along with 5 of my classmates, accompanied Dr. Simha Magal to this year’s SAP TechEd && d-code conference in Las Vegas.  Every one of us benefited greatly from the experience, but each in a unique way.

     I decided to take advantage of the epic networking opportunity that it was and introduce myself to as many people as possible.  I wanted to learn as much as I could from the many professionals on the show floor who were already successful in the field I am about to enter.  It was a gold mine of information and useful advice.  I was warmly welcomed and treated very kindly even though I obviously wasn’t there to buy anything.  I learned about aspects and areas of expertise related to the world of ERP software that I didn’t even know to exist prior to the conference.

     All of this new information has made me even more excited about the career I have ahead of me.  It has given me a unique perspective that few students about to graduate college get to have.  Not only that, but I gained a number of valuable contacts that could potentially lead to a job. Originally I was disappointed that I would be missing the local career fair back home, but TechEd was definitely more valuable.

     Overall, TechEd was one of the best things that has happened to me during my college career.  I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity provided to me by the SAP University Alliances, Grand Valley State University, and Professor Magal.