<p>John Burnett's Wall Street career started at 19. His first job was with Dean Witter (now part of Morgan Stanley) as a margin analyst. In 2002, he became a divisional manager at Smith Barney and decided to pursue an undergraduate degree from NYU, which he attained over four years—while simultaneously managing a team of analysts. He graduated cum laude in 2006 with dual honor, and a University Honors Scholar award.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Burnett didn't want to teach at first. But a peer urged him to try out a position at Metropolitan College of New York, where he taught graduate level public economics. &quot;I loved it from day one,&quot; he recalled. &quot;My non-traditional academic path enabled me to bring my management and general work experience into the classroom as a student with a mission to complete a four-year degree in four years while working full-time.&quot;&nbsp;</p> <p>Burnett cites his experience as a professional who attained an NYU undergraduate degree as an adult working student as instrumental in understanding the challenges of students who seek to balance school and work. &quot;Bridging real-life to the classroom experience is why I remain committed to teaching business management, organizational behavior, and international relations/international political economy at NYU,&quot; he explained.</p>

<p>&quot;I use a myriad of methods to bring real-world experience into the classroom,&quot; continued Burnett. &quot;However, perhaps the best example is the semester-long team project.&quot; In this modality, students are placed in groups and select a company to analyze in their roles as business consultants.&nbsp;</p> <p>Each group then conducts financial analysis, SWOT analysis, risk analysis, and other factors to provide recommendations to enhance performance, remain competitive, and provide value to all stakeholders. Burnett finds this method so useful because completing all the work while learning from and relying on each other requires interpersonal skills, communication skills, and conflict-resolution techniques.&nbsp;</p> <p>&quot;It all culminates in a presentation by each group and a comprehensive final business report (not a paper or essay),&quot; he shares. &quot;The project is challenging but rewarding in many ways because students apply what they are learning in real-time.&quot;</p>

<p>Burnett urges students to have an open mind, work hard, and embrace the academic journey. &quot;You should of course focus on performing well in class to achieve an excellent grade, but don't overlook the value of fostering healthy working relationships and friendships with fellow students,&quot; he concludes. </p>

<p>Ready to take your place on the business leadership stage? Join the next cohort of inspiring students when you pursue a degree from&nbsp;the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/about/academic-divisions-and-departments/division-of-applied-undergraduate-studies.html" title="Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies">Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies</a> at NYU SPS.</p>