Jael Avila
Jael Avila is a senior from Denver, Colorado, and is graduating in March 2021 with a major in management and a minor in business ethics and legal studies. Congratulations, Jael!
What clubs/organizations are you involved in? What are your hobbies?
I am the vice president of the National Society of Leadership and Success, the undergraduate liaison for the Daniels Consulting Firm and the co-chief of faculty relations for Daniels Management Club. I was also one of the founding members of all three of these organizations on campus. My hobbies include seeing movies at the movie theater and trying new restaurants.
Why did you choose to major in management?
I started at DU in 2012 after high school but took a break my junior year. Around that time, I received a job offer and started working, but soon realized that no amount of money is worth my sanity. After experiencing the toxic, ineffective side of management, I never wanted to witness those same mistakes again. Because I consider myself a natural leader, I came back to DU and studied management to do better than what I learned from working.
What is your favorite management class you’ve taken?
My favorite management class I’ve taken is Entrepreneurial Management because local entrepreneurs from different industries spoke with the class almost every session. I also enjoyed Introduction to Consulting because of the live project where we could test out what we learned and got to make mistakes and see the ins and outs of working with a client and having to use critical thinking.
What careers are you interested in?
I like consulting because it requires critical thinking and problem solving. Given my family background and personality as a leader, I feel like I will end up on an entrepreneurship route in the future. I want to help the Hispanic community—particularly mom and pop shops with good products but no resources for online services—by contributing my skills.
Who is someone in a leadership position who has inspired you and why?
Teaching Assistant Professor Kathleen Novak’s leadership style is inspiring because she is very in-tune with the teams she works with, continually improving her methods and tailoring her approaches. She also takes the time to get everyone’s opinions and implement their feedback.
What is your advice to students considering a management major?
A management major allows you to learn flexible skills to be effective and succeed no matter what path you decide to take for your career. In the management major, you also learn how to lead, collaborate and logistically manage things that can be applied to any field or career path.