“SCMS is about a brand equity that is bound to set you apart from the crowd in more ways than one”, says student Samuel John who is all set for his professional sojourn

“I want to be happy in life!” says Samuel John when asked about his life and plans.  This seemingly simple wish rides on his deep philosophy and understanding of life that guides him to live today and let tomorrow worry about itself. He has just bagged a job with Asian Paints as a Sales Officer through campus placement, and believes this position is a perfect fit for him: “I believe this profile suits me quite well; and, my skill-sets acquired at SCMS will help me contribute to the organization.” He is looking forward to starting his career with Asian Paints and is sure that he will be able to contribute in their continued success. 

Born and raised in Bhopal, Samuel received his education from Bhopal before moving to SCMS Cochin for the PGDM in Marketing and Retail Management. His computer proficiency is high, having done several courses in the field. Samuel also has many other talents. He has several awards and certifications in the field of Karate, Yoga and music, and has also earned extra pocket money by giving guitar lessons. He has been always focused. His ability to take initiatives was also demonstrated at SCMS where he was a coordinator and emcee for several events.  Samuel asserts that these platforms have enabled him to evolve as a human being, and have groomed his personality and logical thinking abilities. 

Samuel believes his success is a direct result of the grooming he received at SCMS through various interventions like the Personality Development Program (PDP), Industry Institution Interaction sessions, Corporate Outbound Training, Integrated Management Learning Program (IMLP), and Mentoring sessions. This was in addition to sports, cultural activities, social projects, management fests, seminars and conferences and, most importantly, a rigorous curriculum which continually forced him to multi-task while adhering to strict deadlines. He believes all of this also taught him time management. Another thing that built his confidence is his summer internship project: “I did my three month internship project at Second Largest Shopping Mall in India – Lulu International Shopping Mall, Cochin. On average, I worked for 12 hours a day and this time-bound workload prepared me for an industry work culture.”

SCMS Cochin Samuel believes, is one of the best B-schools in India. “Being an SCMS student has played a significant role in setting me apart from the rest,” he says. “SCMS has a brand equity that makes us stand out in a crowd, be it management fests or interviews; this was apparent during the selection process, too. Students from other institutes, 79 in total, were a part of the selection process, but being an SCMS site in addition to the learning from the institution set us apart from the rest.”

A music lover who plays the guitars and sings as well, Samuel is also a sports and photography enthusiast. Eventually, he wants to be an entrepreneur: “I have always had an inclination to serve the society, so I wish to be a social entrepreneur adding value to the lives of people, to family, friends and society.”