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Hansel Patel, Business Administration

They say good things come to those who wait. Hansel Patel, a junior majoring in business administration, is now reaping the rewards of waiting.

"During the first round of co-op interviews, I had a position in mind that I found on my own," he says. "But it was going to be a struggle since it paid a lot less than the co-op positions offered through Drexel. I had to get comfortable with that pay cut."

Hansel decided to pursue that co-op position and spent six months working on a database for Zen & Art, a New Jersey-based e-business consulting firm. "I really wanted the Zen & Art co-op because, even though my concentration is in accounting and finance, that position showed me the technical and marketing sides of the business as well."

Hansel credits the experience with helping him to land his second co-op with a Fortune 500 company.

"My experience at Zen & Art definitely made it easier for me to ask the right questions during the interview because I had been exposed to so many different sides of business at Zen & Art."

Hansel's second co-op took him to PECO Energy, an Exelon Company. In 2003, Exelon ranked 126 in Fortune Magazine's Fortune 500. "I got to take part in the company's monthly financial reconciliation, which is a very lengthy and intricate process," he says.

Hansel's third and final co-op is for ACE USA, an international finance and insurance company. For Hansel, who was born in India, this is an ideal way to understand the international scope of business. "I work in a department where we handle all the company's Japanese insurance policies," he explains.

"I have such a strong understanding of financial principles now, combined with a background in accounting, marketing, and technology, that I know I'm more valuable to employers. The difference I see in myself – from the first day I arrived at Drexel compared to now – is astounding."