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13.02.2024 Today’s Insights from Harvard Business School: Why College Athletes Succeed in Business

13.02.2024 Today’s Insights from Harvard Business School: Why College Athletes Succeed in Business
Dear Students,
Have any of you participated in team sports during college/university, or even earlier in your academic career? If so, while you may intuitively understand why it’s great to include such activities on your resume/CV, Harvard Business School recently unpacked exactly why. Through a study of 400,000+ Ivy League* athletes, the study’s author (and a former Harvard track star himself) demonstrates how the “intense commitment” of training with a team for 20+ hours/week builds attitudes and behaviors that major global companies are seeking in new grads like you.
When ambitious international students (such as you and your friends) consider what’s involved in participating in a team sport while attending a top-tier academic institution, you will likely realize that it isn’t surprising that candidates who do well on the field do well in demanding careers, off the field, as well. Scholar/athletes, which may include you, your friends or others you know, must exhibit focus, determination, willingness to keep practicing, taking risks, learning from mistakes, teamwork, leadership, resilience and a host of other competencies that leverage both a competitive nature and also an inherent sense of collaboration, balance, perspective and fun. Organizational skills and time management clearly factor into the mix, as well.
*Ivy League: 8 prestigious private colleges in the US