Meet the Students of CGS: Joshua Creelman
Joshua Creelman
College of General Studies 2018
Questrom School of Business 2020
Concentration in Strategy and innovation
Boston-London Program
Were you undecided on your major when you entered CGS?
I was pretty certain. I wasn’t quite sure what exactly I wanted to focus in, but I for the most part knew what I wanted to do.
What made you decide to continue into Questrom and focus on strategy and innovation?
It’s just interesting to me– it’s almost like a puzzle, trying to figure out the most efficient and effective way to run a business and to make it as profitable as possible. I think it’s a broad picture and I really enjoyed that.
What made you choose to attend the College of General Studies?
When the opportunity arose that I could take another gap semester and go to London, it just seemed like a really great chance for me to experience things things that I hadn’t before. I was definitely on board because I wanted to go to Boston University, but it was the added benefit of London and the gap semester which really enticed me. I had never really traveled out of North America. I went to Aruba once but I’ve always traveled around the United States and parts of Canada, so I was really excited to have that opportunity.
Do you have a favorite College of General Studies class? Any favorite professors?
I have a favorite class, which is Social Science 103. Professor John McGrath taught that one. I loved the material and thought he was a great teacher. It was a great course. My favorite professor so far has been Professor John Fawell. He made all the material just so interesting and he really pulled us into the subjects, which I really enjoyed.
What are some of your extra-curricular activities?
I got the opportunity to join the Dean’s Hosts program and to join the peer mentorship program at CGS. Also my first semester here, I joined a fraternity and then my sophomore year I joined the club hockey team. I’ve definitely gotten a great opportunity from all of them to have different experiences. With Greek life, it’s to meet people and make some great friends. With the club hockey team, we all have a shared love of the game, which adds a different dynamic to it. I love being on the ice and that’s something that I really wanted to do here. I was so excited when I was able to get on the team. And then with the Dean’s Hosts, I’ve been able to get a little bit closer with the CGS community and that’s been a really rewarding experience.
What is your favorite place to go in Boston and why?
I love going on the trail that runs along the Charles River. I love running or biking on it and just having the Charles to my right or left. The scenery is beautiful and it’s a great place to clear my mind and think about things. I also love going down to the the shops at Prudential because I love to shop and I love to have some good food and experience the different restaurants.
What is your dream job?
Short-term, I want to go to law school or to grad school. A little bit farther down the road, I’d like to be in a strategy consulting firm if I go to grad school and then either do that or be in a law firm doing corporate law. It could go either way, but I’d be pretty happy in either situation.
Tell us something fun about yourself!
I actually lived in Alaska for about six months, playing hockey. I really enjoyed it up there. It was another different experience that I was glad to have. It taught me a lot about how they live in the unknown parts of the country.
What did you do with your gap semester?
During my gap semester, I started working a graveyard shift at UPS. I thought it would be interesting to change up my sleep schedule and see how that workforce operates as well as get an appreciation for their work. It was awesome – I really got to find something else that I hadn’t seen before.
Favorite trip or favorite thing to do in London?
I had an assignment for SS 103: we had to go to a different part of London that we hadn’t been to before and learn about the history and kind of figure out how it came to be what it is now. I went to Notting Hill. It was just full of different restaurants and different shops. I spent the entire day there just eating and looking at shops with a couple of my friends. The different trips — to Oxford, the Roman Baths– I thought those were incredible. There were some I’d never forget. I just loved going and seeing those places and trying to understand them a little better. Any one of those trips could be my favorite. They were so much fun.
What was one of the most valuable things you learned in the London semester?
I think just being more independent was the most important thing. We had to cook for ourselves and shop for food and get around the city. It was a lot more than you get at school but not overwhelming, and I think it really helped me to be a little bit more self-sufficient. Also my cooking skills got marginally better! Not great but a little bit better.
What was the most memorable part of the London semester?
The trips were incredible but I also remember seeing Big Ben and the London Eye— it’s all lit up— at like 4:30 in the morning. That was an incredible experience. The entire city was dead, there was no one on the bridge taking pictures or anything. I could just stand there looking at the water and just take in the scenery.
If you could give one tip to incoming freshmen, what would it be?
The first two weeks of school just be a yes person. It’s a time when everyone is trying to make friends and get set up in college. Everyone at BU, they’re all really nice, they want to help you out. They were in the same position you were. Don’t be afraid to talk to people, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Say “yes” to meeting up with friends and say “yes” to joining study groups and say “yes” to joining clubs. It’s essential to figuring out what you want to do in college and what kind of person you want to be and the time that you’re going to have.