Name: Andrew Lazouras
Current Job: Full Time MBA Student and Graduate Assistant
Bryant Graduation Year: Undergraduate 2011, MBA Graduate 2012
Major/Minor: Management/Sociology, MBA
Hometown: Barrington, RI
HC: What were you involved in on campus during your time at Bryant?
AZ: I tried to do as many things as I could over the four years; no regrets. Freshman year I started diving into my minor (Sociology) with a service learning project to New Orleans to help with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. That is where I met one of the seniors who later recruited me to join my fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon.
Over the next three years I held officer positions within my fraternity including president, as well as held the recruitment chair position for the inter-fraternity council. I had the privilege of being a part of both the Welcome Weekend (Bulldog Leader) and Orientation teams. Even more rewarding was the opportunity to lead the training program for the Bulldog leaders over the spring semester that following year.
My junior year was one of the best years of my life considering I was able to study abroad in Gold Coast, Australia. While I missed being a part of the Ski and Snowboard club that winter, my abroad experience was priceless. I encourage every student, no matter where you are from or what your background is, to study abroad while at Bryant.
My senior year I was honored to be a part of both the Bryant Senior Advisory Council and the Class Gift Committee. Other campus involvements included Mr. Bryant, the Bryant Karate Team, CSI Banquet Committee, St. Jude’s Up ‘til Dawn Committee, volunteer work with the Providence After School Alliance and The Tomorrow Fund, and several student worker positions for departments including Alumni Relations, Athletics and the Center for Student Involvement.
HC: What experiences during your four years here stand out to you the most?
AZ: My two favorite experiences have been leading my fraternity and studying abroad. My fraternity taught me many things, including patience, leadership, confidence and what the real meaning of friendship is. Whether or not I was the best candidate for president is questionable; however the two years I served that position was extremely rewarding. When I was introduced to the fraternity, it was on its last leg. There were mostly all seniors ready to graduate, yet we met the challenge and rebuilt our chapter from the ground up. Before I joined TKE, there were only a handful of fully initiated brothers; today there are nearly twenty-five. Looking back, every second spent on the chapter was well worth the investment. We can now return as alumni for many years into the future to revisit some of the best memories of our college experience. I could not have done it alone; each member contributed something in some way and for that I was appreciative.
My abroad experience was by far the greatest and most fulfilling experience of my life. The independence, interesting courses and overall adventure has yet to be matched. Australia is a beautiful place and I was lucky enough to see most of it. I tried to travel every weekend seeing such sites as the Sydney Opera House and Bridge, and the Great Barrier Reef. I actually worked in the abroad school cafeteria washing dishes to pay for most of my travels including the two weeks in Thailand. Thailand was also surreal. I road elephants, played with tigers, jumped fire, snorkeled from longboats and saw dozens of temples. We stayed mostly with local families and never once knew fully what was in store the next day. All we planned was the flight there and the flight back, each with one backpack for the full two weeks. Some of my courses and recreation time in Australia was spent studying Buddhist philosophy, film and surfing. Now I work in the Study abroad office and always find myself extremely jealous of traveling students, yet I am still filled with a deep appreciation and gratitude towards the experiences I myself had.
HC: What have you been up to since graduation in the spring?
AZ: School…..school……and more school. I am currently finishing the Full Time MBA Graduate program here at Bryant. While things are much different now, I am glad I went directly into my post-graduate studies. The program here is fast paced, team centered and extremely diverse. Anyone who is considering going into business should at the very least set an appointment with the graduate office to find out more about future opportunities. Some companies I am working with include Narragansett Beer and Gilbane Construction as a student consultant. I am also conducting part-time research for a professor and serving as the Graduate Assistant for the Study Abroad office where I oversee and help restructure the Peer Mentor Program. I am also working through a directed study to create my business plan and model for the future.
HC: How did Bryant help prepare you for life in the “real world”?
AZ: There are two ways that Bryant prepared me. The actual course work, while sometimes hard to relate in specific subjects, helped prepare me to manage responsibilities and effectively establish a strong network through professors and other university administrators. While courses provide one type of preparation, the non-academic experiences I sought out were truly what helped me in the long-run accomplish all that I did. Joining organizations and actively seeking out leadership positions is not something that is directly taught to us as young adults. It is up to the student to establish a strong connection with their professors, apply for positions and take advantage of opportunities. The availability and membership of clubs, organizations and these leadership experiences is what truly prepared me to take on the MBA program and succeed in future endeavors. Yet despite all this, I don’t consider myself in the “real-world” quite yet; soon enough though, no worries.
HC: What are any future plans or aspirations you may have?
AZ: Since I was a child, I knew what I wanted to be “when I grew up”. Shockingly, being “grown up” is quickly approaching this fall! I still want (more than anything in the world) to continue my teachings in the Martial Arts. I have practiced Karate since I was four years old and have loved every aspect of my training from competition to performing.
My true passion however is not in my own training, but rather teaching others. I most enjoy working with children ages five to thirteen, but I also teach adults and teens. I have been extremely lucky to have an instructor and mentor who provides me with amazing knowledge and encouragement. My first goal is to establish a program for students ages 5-12 throughout New England utilizing existing establishments such as sports camps and academic institutions along with local martial artists to address issues such as health, confidence, and discipline for children. After which, I will be opening my own studio to teach out of and run community programs. Location is still to be determined.
Luckily, I have the opportunity to work on these plans in place of an elective course in the MBA summer program. This way, whether I work for a related organization or begin my own entrepreneurial adventure, I will be ready for anything.
HC: Any advice for the graduating class of 2012?
AZ: I cannot express enough how important the first year experience is for new students. Freshman year defines your path whether you believe it or not. While friends, relationships, jobs and interests change, you and only you have the ability to make the most out of your four years. Start early; there is no better time than now. I sat down with a younger student a few years ago and had a very blunt discussion on this topic with him. He was debating whether or not to apply for a very large position on campus as a sophomore. His friends and environment were pulling him in a different direction as many of us experience at some point, but I posed a question to him. I asked,
“When your friends graduate…who will remember them? What will they have left behind? Do you want to be remembered? Do you want to make a difference, considering you have the ability to? What do you want to be remembered for?”
While the questions seem juvenile, really think about it. We are told that we all have a purpose. Despite confusion and lack of clarity; I believe that to be true and have seen it time and time again. Those who seek out opportunities and establish those strong networks are the ones who feel enriched and succeed. No one can force you to do these things though; it comes from self-motivation and the desire to accomplish greatness. Don’t be confused though; success and greatness does not mean following a specific path that has already been carved out. Never take no for an answer and never be afraid to ask for something new.
Needless to say, that student went on to become the president of the largest student organization on campus and truly made a difference for hundreds of students. At the same time, the Deans learned his name and he created a long lasting relationship which will always be there for him. If you have a chance to apply for a position or committee, do it. If there is something you desire, search it out. If it does not exist yet, create it. I finally got a fortune cookie worth saving the other day and it read, “Anyone who goes to bed in the same day they woke up is a quitter.” The opportunities are there, but you have to actively and energetically search them out. They will not always find their way to your feet. One of my favorite speakers and authors, Sir Ken Robinson, talks about the importance of finding the place where our ambitions (things we are good at) and passions (things that we love) intersect. This is what I hope every graduating senior is able to find. That childhood dream of one day growing up to become something that may or may not go against the grain of society is still possible. I wanted to leave you with three quotes which have helped me through the four years at Bryant University:
- “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe”
- “If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them”
- “Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary”
PS – Congrats to the amazing Her Campus Team for all they have accomplished this year; keep up the hard work! Best of luck to the graduating class of 2012!