The Tabor School of business always calls forth the most motivated students to achieve their dreams. Drew Detmers is no exception to this rule. Playing both baseball and being a full-time student takes a toll on both the mind and body. Drew has been able to do both and excel in the process. I decided to ask him about his daily routine to best understand how he can keep himself composed when faced with never-ending tasks to complete in a day.
Drew mentioned that most of his work is done in the morning. Sometimes over breakfast, he will check how his investments are doing, then heads off to his team lift around 7:00 AM. For the next hour or so, this morning lift helps him get ready for his day. “Although the lift itself can be rough, a cold shower and a smoothie after will almost always get me awake and ready for my classes.” Once done with his lift and a quick visit to his apartment, Drew sets off for his classes.
The next few hours of Drew’s day are spent in class. He takes a variety of different courses, from accounting to communication. After his courses, he heads home to his apartment and takes a mental break. “Sometimes, depending on what I am doing later, I will cook my meal based around the rest of my day. Carbs for team practices, or something simple like a burrito to get my protein in.” He will then use this fuel to “reset” and get himself ready for the second half of his day.
After a few hours of mental and physical rest, he heads to the field. Drew, being a baseball player, has many different things he chooses to work on. More than often though, this is playing catch. “Going through my pregame routine and getting a feel for my mechanics has become a big part of my day. It helps me get my mind off life for a bit and flip the switch from being in school.” After his time at the ballfield, Drew will head to his apartment and shower.
The rest of his day comprises of homework, dinner, and watching some television. “I usually try to get my homework done as soon as possible once my day is over. I don’t like the idea of responsibilities hanging out in the wind that I could forget about.” Drew will almost always fit his dinner in sometime during the homework process, whenever he thinks he needs a mental break. Once done with all his responsibilities for the day, TV shows like Breaking Bad or Outer Banks help him finish his day off.
Upon being asked for advice for those entering the Finance world, Drew wants those considering knowing how important understanding finance is for the real world. That finance can be a skill outside of work. It can impact your everyday life as an adult.
“Financial literacy is one of the most valuable life skills. Understanding these concepts is not just good for your job. It applies to the future you want to create for yourself.” -Drew Detmers
Another important figure when inspecting the Tabor School of Business at Millikin University is Shailesh Patel. A former CFO turned professor now teaching accounting, Patel has all the skills needed to give students the best information in his classes. Patel and I have built up a relationship over the past few years, as I have been in both of his accounting classes so far. After class one day, I brought to him three questions. These were his responses.
“What do you like most about teaching here?”
Patel mentions how the smaller-sized classrooms allows him to engage more with his students and have meaningful conversations. He smiles about a conversation we shared about Bitcoin one afternoon. “At a big school, I would never have those simple talks.”
“How does being a CFO impact your teaching style?”
Patel points out how accounting is very different internally from company to company, and that he can bring his own stories to better explain some things we are currently learning. He goes on to mention how he “joined a company and spent months trying to find where millions of dollars were going” due to the company’s accounting statements.
“What advice would you give students entering Finance and the School of Business?”
Immediately Patel mentions the passion needed to be in this profession. “There are a lot of late nights the higher up you go.” He then goes on to highlight the work you put in is what you get out. That you need to make it all count.
