At a young age, college students undergo the life-changing decision of what field they would like to pursue. This decision essentially determines what a college student will do for the rest of his/her life. For many college students, choosing a major is a decision that is far from easy. In fact, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 80 percent of students in the United States end up changing their major at least once.
This statistic held true for Sean Harding, a senior at George Mason University graduating this winter with a B.S. in Marketing. In his junior year, Sean switched his major to Marketing, a field that he came to realize he had a passion for. I had the chance to sit down with him and discuss his journey through changing majors and being able to pursue a field that he loves.
Juliane Veloso: So, what were you studying when you first came to George Mason?
Sean Harding: I started out as an Athletic Training major.
JV: How did you know when it was the time to switch majors?
SH: I realized after my freshman year that I wasn’t enjoying my classes. So sophomore year, I took some business classes to get a feel for that field.
JV: What inspired you to pursue Marketing?
SH: I took Sports Management and Sports Marketing classes in high school, and I loved those classes. So I thought, “Why not do that?” Additionally, I was in DECA, a club that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, for two years. I also had my own business in high school — Sean’s Lawns. I would send out flyers in my neighborhood to let people know that I was mowing lawns. I ended up having about eight regular customers.
JV: What opportunities can the School of Business give its students?
SH: The School of Business really sets its students up to be successful — from career fairs to mock interviews to the professors.
JV: Describe the job opportunities you’ve had since switching your major and where you are currently.
SH: One of my favorite opportunities was with the New York Yankees as a Museum Intern. During the games, I was able to talk to fans who came into the museum and tell them the history of the Yankees. I marketed our hands-on history promotion which gave people the chance to come in before day games and touch historic memorabilia like Babe Ruth’s bat, Derek Jeter’s jersey, and the World Series trophy.
I was also a Business Sales Intern for ROCS Staffing, a staffing and recruitment services company founded by some Mason alumni.
Right now, I’m a Sales Operations Analyst at NAVEOS, a data analytics company that helps healthcare providers maximize governmental program reimbursements.
JV: If you had to give advice to your freshman self, what would you say?
SH: I’d tell myself that it’s time to grow up. I screwed around a lot and didn’t study much because that’s exactly what I did in high school. So if I had that mentality of “it’s time to grow up and put in work” before coming to college, it would have made my freshman year a lot easier.
JV: If you had to give advice to students contemplating switching their major, what would you say?
SH: Don’t go into a major blindly. A lot of freshmen do that. I know I did that because I thought, “I like sports and health is kinda cool, so Athletic Training should be my major.” I didn’t look into the classes, so I didn’t know that I had to take Anatomy, and the first class of that sure was interesting. Do research before you decide to pursue a field. Also, see what classes you took in high school and what you were involved in and see what truly interests you. Don’t base it off of what other people are doing either. Do what you love and the money will follow you. It’ll be all good!