Student Profile: Nothing to Lose

Josh Nelson '08
Internship: PepsiCo
Member, Marketing Club

I had a lifelong quest to move to California and build bridges. It might sound weird, but it’s true. I was born and raised in Michigan and went to the university. But my family took a trip to California when I was in the first grade and I just got the fever. I studied civil engineering, moved out to California, worked on some bridge projects, had an excellent time, and really enjoyed California. But there came a point where the nomadic nature of the job got to be too much. I wanted to make a change in my career, so I started thinking about business school.

A good friend of mine in San Francisco is an alumnus of SOM. He started a company out there and has done very well for himself. He became a mentor to me. He also has a civil engineering background. I saw what Yale had done for him and it seemed like a great fit for me, too. And it’s been fantastic. The first half of the year in particular was incredibly challenging — it kind of knocked me off my feet. I came in here knowing what I didn’t want to do, but not clear on what I did want to do. Yet, throughout that time, I was being exposed to so many different business situations. I was going to all the presentations. The International Experience in particular was exceptional. It was the first time I really felt I got to spend quality time with my classmates in a session that wasn't in a classroom. And then I came back from that and, two weeks later, lined up my internship with Pepsi in marketing.

I really didn’t think I’d get the Pepsi internship. I’m in the Marketing Club and everyone said how it was some of the toughest interviews, one of the most competitive internships to get on campus. I was going up against all the heavy-hitter people in my class with marketing backgrounds…. I had started to doubt myself a little bit — a lot, actually, because I would go through these mock interviews for marketing, and I’d get hosed. You've got to sell yourself better and You can't say this and You can't say that. I went into the Pepsi interview and, especially since I didn't think I had a chance, I was kind of like "this is me." I said exactly what I felt. This big, huge marketing machine saw something in me that they thought would be a good fit.

The Pepsi internship is a very structured program, at the end of which I will be giving a presentation to all of the VPs who have an interest in the project I've been working on. Obviously, the visibility is quite high there, and it's just an incredible opportunity. It’s such a big shift from February, when I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life. I've always had direction. I've always had a need to get through A, B, and C to get to D. I've always known the path. And here I was 29 and for the first time in my life I didn't have a path. It was quite unusual for me. But, all of a sudden, I feel like I'm back on it. And it's really exciting. And I'm certain I couldn't have done it without Yale.

Interviewed on April 24, 2007.