students & alumnis testimonials

Student Testimonials

James FilsellUniversity Edinburgh

Veronika HapakovaUniversity of Economics Prague (VSE)

Tim ParkinUniversity of York

“The best experience you can imagine. You learn things about yourself and how you want to see yourself in the future. For an International student the unique opportunity to travel and earn great money makes the whole experience incredible.”

“It is such an amazing experience, not always easy but definitely worth it. Over the last 4 summers I have learnt how to sell, manage and lead. I have also made enough money to pay my way though university and I’m about to buy my first property. It’s awesome.”

“Running my own business in America was the most life-changing experience I have ever had. The people I met in the team were amazing, it was hard and I enjoyed every minute of it. The friendships and connections that you make at Southwestern are amazing and will be valuable throughout life.”

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Student Testimonials

Venetia WillisUniversity of Edinburgh

“I don’t think I could have learnt so much about myself and other people in such a short amount of time and I had so much

fun! Southwestern was a great experience and I would recommend it to any of my friends.”

Miroslav VansaUniversity of Economics Prague

(VSE)

“As a 2nd Year in the programme I was honoured to run an organisation of 17 people. It was the most challenging thing and

the biggest experience of my life. Learning how to motivate people, listen to them, coach them and lead by example was just

a great opportunity to have.”

“During the summer I was really focused on working! I never stopped during the day and had a great desire to be a top first

year. I felt proud of what I achieved and successful.”

Viktoriya ShopovaTechnical University of Sofia


Alumni TestimonialsJason Walkingshaw2002 Graduate, Heriot Watt UniversitySouthwestern 1999-2007

One thing that I would say is that selling books is not for everybody. I think it would be naïve for people to think that the summer is always going to be smooth sailing. Part of what makes a SW summer so special is that it really is an adventure. It is what you make of it. For some people that is exactly what they are looking for, for others the exact opposite. SW offers you an opportunity and that’s it. An opportunity to learn and develop as a person. As a 19 year old that’s all I wanted. The chance to prove to others but more importantly myself what I was capable of.

Mac Anderson1966 Graduate, Murray State UniversitySouthwestern 1964-1966

Mac Anderson founded both Simple Truths and Successories, leaders in creating products for employee motivation and recognition.

“Southwestern had a dramatic impact on my life. At a young age it helped me to understand that there are no shortcuts. Hard work, discipline, perseverance and maintaining a positive attitude were the trademarks of every successful Southwestern person I knew. Fortunately, many of those qualities stuck with me and played a very instrumental role in my success as an entrepreneur.

I love what I do and feel that it matters, however, I can say with conviction that it would not have happened without the early lessons learned at Southwestern.”

Alumni Testimonials

Tuesday, 6 September 2011

Marek Hyl2008 Graduate, University of Economics, Prague (VSE)Southwestern 2005-2008

I really enjoyed my time with Southwestern and would highly recommend it to anyone who is not afraid of challenges and wants to develop and improve. It really is something that makes you stand out as I had a chance to find out when I was looking for a job after graduation. I was looking for a job in a very unfriendly environment of a global recession following the financial crisis in the spring of 2009. A lot of my friends had a very tough time finding a job as competition for remaining places was extremely fierce, but I was lucky to get an interview with every company I contacted and was given offeres from almost all of them, including Microsoft, IBM, Ernst & Young Deloitte, KPMG and others. All the interviews were basically me telling the interviewer about my years with Southwestern and they were very impressed, especially by my management experience. To get such a management exposure for a university student is very rare


Alumni Testimonials

Justin Heath2002 Graduate, University of EdinburghSouthwestern 1999-2008

“If any prospective students or parents have any doubts about the Southwestern experience I hope this summary can help. At university the world is our oyster, we have no real responsibilities and the opportunities are endless. Allow yourself or your child to spread their wings, allow them to fail, allow them to scare themselves and you. Allow themselves ultimately to triumph. It’s only a summer.”

Alumni Testimonials

Tuesday, 6 September 2011

Jeff Dobyns1997 Graduate, Ohio UniversitySouthwestern 1994-1997

Jeff is President and founding partner of Southwestern Investment Services, Inc., a Southwestern Company. His leadership has grown Southwestern Investment Services into one of the top-producing branches of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.

“My Suggestion for any college student today who wants to be an entrepreneur is to get out there and actually spend as much time as possible with people who are running their own business with Southwestern. Everything that being an entrepreneur and running your own business incorporates, such as setting goals, developing your mental game plan and working through the day-to-dy challenges of being an entrepreneur, are realised during the Southwestern experience. You literally can learn more in one summer than you would learn in 2, 3, 4 or 5 with an entry level position.”

Ruth Brougham2004 Graduate, Newcastle UniversitySouthwestern 2003-2004

Whilst working with Southwestern you take it for granted how much you are learning and how little exposure others get to this sort of commercial environment. It has been so surprising to see how so many people struggle, both junior and senior, with presenting, or speaking in a confident way that makes others believe and ‘buy-in’ to what they are saying. I have met people that in my opinion have managed projects and people well and others that have less well. Those that I consider to have been ‘better’ managers have built good relationships both with their own teams but also with other people that they are working with or managing. They have known when to sit back and listen and when and how to speak at the right time. These are of course key skills that


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