I’ve been dancing my whole life, studying a variety of dance techniques while simultaneously growing a passion for the art form itself. Although others in my graduating class may have viewed dance as only an extracurricular activity, I took it a step further and decided to continue dancing in college.
As a senior this school year, I feel the need to start gathering a game plan for once I graduate. With a double major in dance studies and business leadership, you might assume that my goal is to one day open my own dance studio; you would be right.
This summer, I’m an intern at Alta Equipment Company, a construction equipment supplier. In this role, I’m helping with the transition of customer directories, software programs, and uploading machinery into an online platform called Machinery Trader. I know that on the surface, construction equipment and dance would be seen to have no common ground, but through my internship I was able to see my personal values reflected in Alta. I value collaboration, creativity, and individuality highly in a workplace. As someone who wants to own a business of my own, it’s inspiring to see employees enjoy where they work and be able to express both their negative and positive feelings. These are the values I learned growing up as a dancer and I now view them as some of my greatest tools in both business and in life.
Alta also places a high priority on taking care of their customers, as well as their employees. This aligns directly with my personal values as relationships and connections with others mean a great deal to me. This was reflected during my on-boarding process where there was a large emphasis on helping the company return to normalcy after a major software switch. By helping the employees, they were able to focus on fulfilling the customers’ needs, reinforcing their value proposition of “we develop relationships that create Customers for Life.” It was refreshing to see my values reflected in a company, and it gives me inspiration for how I will operate as a business owner/leader. By talking with my supervisor, I was able to confirm to myself that I’m able to carry my values with me everywhere.
Along with my internship this summer, as president of the Nazareth Dance Organization, I have also started planning for the upcoming academic year. NDO is a student club on campus that brings dance opportunities to everyone, encouraging dance in our community and providing the benefits of movement. In the past we have collaborated with other clubs, along with hosting club bonding events and community dance classes. With the work I’ve been doing in preparation for the fall, along with my experience at Alta, I am just now starting to feel confident in my leadership skills.
As a business leadership major, we always talk about the workplace, understanding teamwork, the ethics of business, and what it means to be a leader. This summer was a great opportunity to see the concepts we study in action while having the opportunity to apply it myself. Combining my experiences as a dancer with my time at Alta has allowed me to reassess my values, discover my personal preferences, and further my understanding of my “why.”
Mackenzie Jackson ‘23 is double majoring in business leadership and dance studies.