Micah Dirkers, Class of 2019
Micah Dirkers, senior Benton Scholar.
Over the summer, Micah completed three online courses through the Harvard Business School on the topics of business analytics, financial accounting, and economics for managers. He participated in Harvard Business School’s online Credential of Readiness (CORe) program as a way to expose himself to “a different way of thinking”. Through these courses, Micah was able to improve upon skills such as mastering concepts through multimedia case studies of diverse organizations and developing business intuition through interactive learning activities. This online format also allowed Micah to return to Colgate’s library for a month at the end of the summer. There, he returned to his job at the the Digital Learning and Media Center where he updated inventory, ordered new equipment, and created training modules for new employees
What inspired you to take these online summer courses with the Harvard Business School?
Since I was young, I always have had an interest in business, because it is integral to creating value and pushing society forward. Since Colgate is not a business school, I have always had in the back of my mind a desire to study more about business. During winter break of sophomore year, I took a one-week intensive at General Assembly Business Accelerator in NYC, which focused on creating, designing, and marketing a novel product. However, I wanted to learn more academically about the field of business as a way of thinking, since I have primarily been in the fields of psychology and media.
What’s one lesson you took away from the experience?
Examining financial reports, marketing strategies, demand, supply, and analytics empowered me with the knowledge and skill set to navigate the basics of business for my future. Reflecting on the experience, whatever field I end up in, I realized that these courses apply far beyond their respective topics, because there are always exchanges of money, demand and supply for people and resources, and the recording of transaction of time, money, and attention in all elements of our world.