David Steckel
- FP&A Manager
- Vivacity Infrastructure Group
School Information
School: University of Illinois
College Major: Business
Years at College Works: 2010
Career Information
Working For: Vivacity Infrastructure Group
Title: FP&A Manager
Industry: TelecommunicationsWhat Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?
Honestly, it would be just starting life on my own. I didn’t come from a privileged background to say the least, but now I’ve got my own place, steady flow of disposable income, and have even joyfully taken a virtually unplanned two week Eurotrip.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
Confidence; there were always people saying you’re too young or inexperienced, and College Works Painting was a way to prove them wrong.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
I did College Works Painting after freshmen year and having that experience and gaining that confidence really set me up for a chain of successes in college from serving on executive boards of student organizations to standing out in other internships.
What do you want to tell your clients about what it meant to work with them and how it has helped you get to where you are today?
It’s been too long to remember his name, but I had a client who was incredibly kind. He and his wife took care of us like we were their grandchildren: feeding us every day, bringing us water, and sharing stories about ‘how things used to be.’
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
Always be pushing your limits. It’s the best way to grow and improve.
How have the friendships and networks you built during CW affected you?
No business partners or trips taken yet, but because of the communication skills I built it’s a lot easier to grow new relationships.
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
Always push yourself to be better, stick to a code of high integrity, and have fun. Do these things and eventually you’ll be accomplished, respected, and happy.
Many college students struggle to choose between an internship specific to their target industry or doing CW. What advice would you give them on this subject if they wanted to enter your career field?
With a workforce that becomes more competitive with every year, you need to set yourself apart and stand out among your peers. You can either have an internship that will likely be centered around making copies or formatting excel sheets, or you can do something challenging that recruiters love hearing about, like College Works Painting.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
Being a good communicator is important, but make sure to fine-tune your technical skills. Simply being good at excel will save you a lot of effort while allowing you to be more efficient than your coworkers.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
Making money. I would not have survived college loans without it.
Last words of wisdom?
“Impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools”