As a business school, Bentley offers a variety of clubs and extracurricular activities regarding that aspect of society, including a ski and snowboard club. It sounds weird, right? What does ski and snowboarding have to do with business?
In today’s job community, workers are not just asked to sit at a desk and look at company files for their days. Rather, many companies have corporate retreats, where they go on different trips and take part in different activities. A recent trend for these retreats has been hitting the slopes.
When talking to the vice president of this club, Mackenzie Bennett, she brought up an intriguing point. Although she has not been in the corporate world herself yet, she said, “I think it’s been a really good opportunity to be able to meet people and connect with people who have like interests.”
She continued to share her story and how she views this club helping her outside of her Bentley career, stating that one of the best skills she actually got from this club was actually “being able to navigate different communication styles in a big group.”
Many people do not know how to ski or snowboard, and when the situation of going to these retreats occurs, they do not go, or if they do, they cannot participate. It is moments like this that can make a big difference in today’s world. More and morepeople are getting their college diplomas, and people are fighting for job placements all around the world, all with great resumes.
So, what can one do to improve their chances, to stick out and make an impression on your bosses and possible clients?
Well, according to Abby Cormier, a club member, this club “teaches discipline and how to stay calm under pressure.” She thinks that these skills will translate one day to her future job and will help her become a more successful person.
Cormier also compared skiing to the business world by saying, “skiing requires the same drive and determination that you need to be successful in a competitive business setting.”
All in all, a ski and snowboard club might seem just like a random, fun club for a business school like Bentley, but in reality, it serves a much deeper and important function. It allows members to develop a skill that can be used in the workplace one day. A skill to differentiate one’s selves from others and give more of an opportunity to grow in and outside of a confined cubicle.
