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  • Writer's pictureBaker Institute Team

"Permission to be unapologetically inquisitive"


Alex Copits ‘23 | Columbus, OH

Major | Marketing & Design

Minor | Entrepreneurship


“The most important aspect in business is people.” - Tom Gillis


One of the biggest struggles, especially in today’s world, is knowing how to connect with people while not in the same room. The first few days of the program I felt my usually extroverted self consumed with anxiety around talking to people, presenting stories and ideas, and asking questions. Also, as one of the younger students in this program, I felt very insecure about the questions I had thought of and my own abilities. I was constantly trying to time when to unmute Zoom and ask my question, but there would be interruptions. Then, when it finally came to my turn I felt unprepared and rushed.


It wasn’t until Dale Falcinelli came to teach us did something click. He gave us permission to be unapologetically inquisitive because at the end of the day each person on this planet was put here to learn and never stop learning. As one of our guests, Nicola Corzine, taught us that we should relearn the ABCs as “Always Being Curious,” because the path to innovation is paved by asking questions.


This theme of learning and taking the leap came into almost every Zoom call and has given me a new way to approach issues. As one of our speakers, Maria Yap said, “just do it because what is the worst thing that could happen”. This quote along with Dale’s teachings empowered me through the rest of the week and gave me more courage with each time we met. In the end, this enabled me to be vulnerable with my peers by sharing a story I would have never at the beginning of the week.


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