Patrick Jones (Miami, 1990) [Associate Partner at Rosetta]: When I think about the Miami College of Arts and Science and a liberal arts degree in general (and mine was in economics and a minor in political science), I think one of the important things that I do share with students whenever I have an opportunity to, is that wherever you start in terms of where you interest is or where your passion is in terms of what you study, perhaps the initial rung on your own career ladder, it doesn't necessarily define the path you take.

If you look at my particular career path, if you want to call it that, or career journey perhaps, a lot of it is a function of serendipity. And serendipity comes from people that you meet along your way. So, if you're a freshman or a sophomore here, and you maybe have chosen a major and you've thought, this is definitely what I want to do when I get involved, all it takes is an interaction with a well-meaning and sincere professor here at Miami who sees something else or has access to a different nuance along your path to all of a sudden introduce you to something else.

And what I would recommend to students is being very open to being influenced by your teachers and by your peers, by alumni that you have the opportunity to meet. Because when I think about how I went from politics to business and management consulting into moviemaking and television into interactive media, it was always the result of someone who I had met who opened a door or shared an opportunity for me that I hadn't heretofore planned on.

[April 2011]