SPOTLIGHT: Dividing Their Time

Wharton andWharton andEngineeringWharton andEngineeringstudentsWharton andEngineeringstudentsbreak intoWharton andEngineeringstudentsbreak intothe Arts Hidden behind their spreadsheets and calculators, you may think you have them pegged. "Number crunchers." "Quant jocks." Due to the common myths regarding their scholarly endeavors, these pre-professionals have been victim to a host of jokes and catcalls. But most Wharton and Engineering students are quite different from the stereotypes which haunt them. One does not have to call on the resting soul of Leonardo da Vinci to realize that his legacy lives on in the minds of the University's multi-talented scholars. With just a cursory glance at the resume of Wharton and Engineering senior Patrick Ede, it becomes evident that he's a lot more than just a number cruncher. Ede, chairperson of the Performing Arts Council, "spends a lot more time doing theater than class," he admitted. An incredibly busy actor, producer, technical director and set designer, Ede devotes hours and hours to University performing arts groups -- including Quadramics, Arts House Dance and Penn Players. Additionally, to fulfill his duties as PAC chairperson, Ede lobbies the University administration on behalf of the performing arts community. "Classwork? I don't remember what that is," Ede remarked. He claimed that his engineering and scientific prowess allows him to focus on the artistic facets of his extracurricular undertakings. "Because I have a good grasp of the quantitative, it makes it easier to focus on artistry," Ede said. According to Engineering senior Noah Sferra, who has worked as an actor, musician and producer in University performances, "performing arts is a great way to balance yourself." But Sferra pointed out that life gets a little complicated when you're very active on campus and your right and left brains are working overtime. "I have no idea how I do it," he said. Singer, actor and Computer Science and Engineering senior Ferit Albukrek said he makes good use of his highly developed analytical skills in daily activities. "I have a ridiculous schedule -- in terms of time management, my quantitative skills come in handy," Albukrek said. Although interminably busy, Albukrek said he is proud of the fact that he made the most out of his University experience. "I'm glad that I didn't just get locked up in the Engineering school," he said. As President of Penn Singers and an active member of the Penn Glee Club, Quadramics, Penn Players and the Penn Pipers, Albukrek has gained leadership experience that he feels is highly valued in the workplace. And he said his creative skills were definitely helpful in his quest for post-graduation employment. "In job interviews, I did well because a lot of people want to know that you're multi-dimensional," Albukrek explained. "Everyone has a lot more depth to themselves than what they do in the computer lab." He said students definitely do not have to limit themselves to the field they major in, and that their careers do not have to define them as people. "I love computer science, but I surely won't give up my music," Albukrek said. According to Engineering and Wharton junior David Ray, performing is an escape. "I'm much less the M and T person than I seem to be," he said. "I don't [always] want to have to deal with my real life." Wharton and College sophomore Maria Stein agreed that a student's existence does not necessarily have to be defined by his or her major. She sings for the University Choral Society, and was recently one of two undergraduate artists featured at the Wharton Art Show. And with her highly touted skills as a finance and environmental studies major, she is about as well-balanced as you can get. Stein said she is thinking of pursuing a career in public policy believing it would force her to make use of her talents in many different ways. "Its complexity attracts me -- you have to put together elements from a lot of different places," Stein said. And as a self-proclaimed "Renaissance person," she may very well fit the bill. Stein said she looks to the University's founder, Benjamin Franklin, as a source of inspiration. A complex man in his own right, she explained that Franklin embodies many of the talents she hopes to develop during the course of her college education. "Franklin came up with many schemes for the betterment of the city -- the University, a hospital, and various public works," Stein noted. Stein added that being successful in the sciences, as well as in public policy, requires a great deal of creativity. "In science, you're constantly thinking of solutions, and getting creative ideas to approach problems -- great scientists have creative views," she said. Wharton sophomore Scott Friedberg said he admires Maria Stein as a "true artist with a highbrow love of life." But Friedberg himself is a multi-dimensional student. In addition to spending many years studying acting in summer camps, he has appeared in a number of University productions, including Penn Players' "City of Angels" as a freshman. He said his theater experiences have vastly improved his speaking and presentation skills. As a businessman, Friedberg expects to use these talents in corporate boardrooms. But for now, he has enjoyed numerous successes in the classroom. For example, Friedberg said his improvisational skills come in handy when he is pressured by a teacher to respond quickly to a question. "Doing improv is a great way to learn to think on your feet -- chances are, you're more likely to have more creative juices flowing than another person," Friedberg said. Wharton and College senior Eva Saks also claims that her acting skills have helped her performance in the classroom. "I'm now more comfortable with classroom presentations, and I now have a great memory," Saks said. Friedberg lamented that many of his peers do their classroom presentations in conventional ways -- especially with overhead transparencies. He said he thinks that students should make more use of their creative talents, even when projects are swamped with numbers, charts and graphs. "No amount of number crunching is worth anything unless you present your findings in a way that's interesting," Friedburg said. Wharton senior Jim Maceiko recently completed a management project that forced him to use his creative and quantitative skills in a similar manner. "I took over as an acting coach to put the presentation together," he said. In addition to calling on his quantitative skills, Maceiko said his marketing classes also require a flow of creative juices. He explained that he "dabbles all over," having performed with the Penn Band for four years, and with Arts House Dance and the Penn Glee Club. He has also acted, directed, worked on sets and is currently on the Quadramics board of directors. Maceiko noted that his skills as a businessman are often called upon in the arts. He said that to lead or manage a group, even at school, you often have to deal with finances and budgets. And as a Wharton student expecting to reap great profits in the future, Friedberg explained that his creative side will be useful in other ways. He claimed that his powers of artistry will eventually be called upon in hopes of avoiding Uncle Sam's undo intrusions on earnings. "Any Wall Street firm will tell you that it takes creativity to avoid tax laws," Friedberg noted. Wharton senior Ray Schleinkofer, a finance major who has been involved in the performing arts community, said he is tired of the stereotypes that surround his peers. "I'm sick of this 'quant' image," he said. "We financiers provide the world with a lot more than Greek letters on opposite sides of equal signs."

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