Veronica Peterson grew up about 90 miles north of Manhattan near Poughkeepsie, NY. Raised by diehard Buckeye fans, Veronica pursued her undergraduate degree at Ohio State University, where she studied chemical engineering. After graduation, she worked in glass bottle manufacturing and ended up living in Ohio, Oregon, and California, all within a few short years. Veronica says, “My favorite location is Portland due to the community within the city, the nature surrounding it, and the food! When looking to further my education, I knew it was where I wanted to return.”
Education was always a fundamental staple of Veronica’s childhood and early adulthood. She decided to earn a master’s after completing her chemical engineering degree because she wanted a career that allowed her to adapt and continually take on new challenges. Once Veronica started graduate school at The School of Business, she became inspired by leaders within the business community. She was interested in their abilities to lead teams toward a vision successfully. Veronica was interested in the environment in Portland because of the connection to all the local business leaders. “I think a significant benefit of continuing formal education is being able to immerse yourself in new experiences constantly, be that through campus groups or elective classes, and be able to take the time to explore your passions and interests and figure out how to turn them into a career.”
Throughout her career in glass bottle manufacturing, Veronica felt that she wanted more than what she was doing in her niche industry but didn’t know which direction to take. Veronica enjoyed what she did in hands-on manufacturing. However, gaining a broader view of operations and the business would allow her to drive its strategy, not just day-to-day operations. “I had always been interested in finance and chose to come to Portland State due to its MSF and MBA dual degree program, which allowed me to complete both degrees in under two years.”
While at The School of Business, Veronica learned the importance of continually reflecting and modifying business approaches as you learn more. “For example, there may be a course where the team you work with is not a natural fit to your work style. Instead of allowing myself to get frustrated, which I have admittedly often done, I learned how to take a step back and see how my strengths can help the team, even if it is not in my preferred manner.” Veronica learned that real-world work experience rarely fits your preferences, so she used her time within the program to figure out how to overcome these obstacles.
Veronica advises future business students to follow their interests and explore various avenues. She highlights the opportunities offered by The School of Business at Portland State, encouraging students to delve deep into their interests. She also stresses the importance of being open to other’s insights and learning from each course, as real-life experiences can provide valuable lessons for any career path.