Boot camp

Mid-semester, Sherron Bienvenu put her students through boot camp. She didn’t demand fifty pushups, but the exercise was just as rigorous—answering nightmare interview questions.

Bienvenu, associate professor in management communications, devoted two sessions of her undergraduate advanced business communications course to what job interviewers call “Dirty Q,” probing questions designed to test candidates’ mettle: Are you an oak tree or a pine tree?

After grilling the students, Bienvenu evaluated their answers and gave suggestions on appropriate responses. The students also gave feedback to each other.

“Learning how to communicate your knowledge effectively is just as important as actually having that knowledge,” says Chad Lackey ’02BBA.

Adds Misha Lewis ’02BBA, “I feel more confident now going into my real interviews.”