Class of 2020: Bryce Harwood

BGSU business school ranking, Indians internship a big hit with freshman

By Bob Cunningham 

When Bryce Harwood was trying to figure what college to attend, one ranking really stood out more than any other.

Bowling Green State University’s undergraduate business programs are ranked in the top 5 percent in the United States by Bloomberg Businessweek. 

That really got the attention of Harwood, an incoming freshman in the BGSU Class of 2020 who recently graduated from Cuyahoga Heights High School near Cleveland. 

“Since I’m going into the College of Business Administration, I liked that the business school is highly ranked in the nation,” the Brooklyn Heights, Ohio, resident said. “Plus, I loved the campus of Bowling Green because it was open and big, unlike some of the other colleges I visited.”

Harwood likes that the business school houses its own career center, the CBA Accelerator. While on a campus visit Harwood spoke with Tom Siebenaler, associate director of the Accelerator, about post-college job prospects. During the conversation, Harwood mentioned his dream of working for the Cleveland Indians, his favorite sports franchise. Siebenaler had a connection in the Indians organization and helped secure Harwood with a weeklong internship early this summer.

After seeing the potential of the career center, Harwood was convinced that BGSU was the right school for him. 

The internship enabled Harwood to get a sneak peek at what it might be like to work for the Indians full-time. He spent his week in the executive offices of the club’s marketing department.

“I really got to watch everything that went on behind the scenes with the Indians,” said Harwood, a big fan of the major-league team. “I loved every minute of it. It was a great experience that I’ll never forget. I was able to make connections that I’ll be able to use down the road.” 

Harwood said it was an eye-opening experience, seeing what goes on day-to-day for a professional sports team — especially even before starting his freshman year.  

“I didn’t realize how much goes into even the small things that a professional business that size has to deal with,” he said. “I never realized it takes so many people to make everything run efficiently.”  

Now that the beginning of the academic year is almost here, Harwood, who hasn’t decided on a major, is happy to start fresh at BGSU.

“I’m looking forward to getting my college career started and looking into internship opportunities and seeing where my education can take me in the future,” he said.