In preparation for the Sauder MBA program I had been quietly questioning how my skills and experiences, accumulated in journalism and the military, would be applicable in a business setting. Most of my fellow students have business or engineering backgrounds, making it easy for them to demonstrate relevance.

That said, I am coming to understand that my skills – hard work, proficiency with the English language, and creativity, to name a few – mesh perfectly in the business setting. This idea was recently confirmed in a consulting class, wherein the professor posted a slide I had created as an exemplar for an “executive summary.” He went on to describe to the class some of the things I had done well: an interesting “hook” to draw the reader in; short, succinct bullet points that provide pertinent information; and clear and viable recommendations for the future.

Without thinking about it, I had included all these in my executive summary, simply because I had developed the methodology during my time writing and editing articles for the Jerusalem Post. My time in the Israeli army has also given me a work ethic unmatched in the program, and my education in psychology has allowed me to excel in subject relating to interpersonal behavior and human patterns. It is becoming abundantly clear to me that my skills are indeed relevant in the business setting, and I looking forward to applying them in a career upon completion of the Sauder MBA.