Discovering Life Abroad
It has been said that there are three things you can’t take back in life: time, words, and opportunity. Jeffrey Schrader has managed to take full advantage of all three at St. John’s University by spending time abroad, verbalizing his goals to make them happen, and seizing every day. He is on track to complete a five-year M.B.A. program in 2023 with a major in International Business.
Why did you choose St. John’s University?
“The boroughs of New York City are an easy car or subway ride away, which presents many opportunities to be successful. The possibility of achieving what you want is here, and there are many opportunities to do so. St. John’s offered me a good financial package. I also enjoy Red Storm Athletics, especially basketball.”
What is next for you?
“I would like to either work in New York, NY; Boston, MA; or Chicago, IL. I want to be in the Northeast or Midwest, preferably in a big metropolitan city surrounded by suburbs. These are environments I am familiar with from childhood and places I think I would enjoy.
I would like to work in a role somewhere in financial wealth management or marketing. I am in the five-year program here at St. John’s, so I have one more year before fully graduating and earning my M.B.A. degree.
During graduate school, I plan to get a full-time job; I’m not sure where yet. I want to work for a company that has a good work environment and treats its employees well. Money is not the primary objective; I would much rather have a good work-life balance. I want to work for a company that I enjoy representing and where I enjoy my job. My dream job in the future would be one where I can help people every day, I’m not sure in what way. But I also enjoy sports like baseball and golf, and it would be a dream to work for Major League Baseball as their Global Brand Marketing Manager or in their Business Development.”
What is your involvement on campus?
“I’ve been a Shift Manager for Student Operations for the past few years. The role has helped me get involved with a little bit of everything. I get to see and work with many student organizations and departments around campus, helping plan events and ensure their success.
It’s cool to be behind the scenes, because you’re able to get a little bit of everything. I attend a lot of the athletic events on campus, but my role in operations definitely keeps me busy. I used to be a part of the Sport Management Association, which educated me on the roles in sports I could possibly enjoy. The club even gave us the opportunity to go to a Yankees and Mets game, sit in a suite, and meet with one of the teams’ advisors. We had a career dinner, where we could meet and network with a bunch of people.
I went abroad for seven weeks, which was the best experience of my life, even though it was cut short due to the pandemic. I was in the Discover the World program and traveling was fun. I went to Venice and Florence in Italy, and then Dublin and the Cliffs in Ireland. We had other trips planned but they didn’t happen because we were sent home.
The first day I got there I was a bit homesick, but I enjoyed being able to live in a foreign country with some of my best friends and classmates. It forces you to be close with everyone. When you’re there, most of your time is devoted to that, and you have no other distractions.
Studying abroad allows you to be carefree and a kid again. We would go after class, 10 guys, and play hoops in this park overlooking a mountainside in Rome until the sun went down. We would use these electric bikes to get us there and home. On the way back, there was this big hill, and we would just fly down it and race home to get dinner. Then, do it all over again the next day.
This was really the time of our lives! We were in Venice on the open night of Carnival; I’ve looked back at photos from that day and just smile.
But, New York City has been cool; holidays and Santacon have been great. Being that I’m from here, I have had some of the best times going to Manhattan with my friends.
I was able to orchestrate the Winter Carnival at the school. At the time, I was a MIT (Manager in Training) for the Student Operation department, and that was our final task to become a manager. We planned, organized, and worked the event all day. It was one the proudest moments I have at St. John’s. It’s an event that I still rave about. It was one the biggest events on campus and we successfully curated the whole thing.”
What’s the biggest lesson you have learned?
“I would say with work and class, I have really learned the responsibility aspect of how to manage a busy life. Most of my friends describe me as responsible and mature. It has been tough, especially during the pandemic and being depressed and bored during that time.
Junior year was tough, and I was very busy with classes and working many hours. It was a lot to handle in the moment, but one thing I’ve learned going forward is I won’t mind working because when I’m home, I’m home. Right now, I come home and still have to cook, clean, and do homework. It has prepared me for the future. I now value having a balance and prioritizing what needs to be done, while also having down time.
A slogan that my friends and I live by is, ‘Make the best of what you’ve got.’ During our first year, we were naïve, trying to fit in. But after everything wears off, hanging out and shooting the breeze with your closest friends is the most fun.”
What has been your overall St. John’s experience?
“There were definitely tough times—especially junior year during the pandemic—which brought a lot of stress. Junior year tends to be your hardest, but looking back on it now, my first year feels like an eternity ago, but it also feels like it was just yesterday. What I can say is to make the most of it; before you know it, your accessibility to your friends and the freedom you have in college will be limited by your adulthood. Enjoy every moment!”
