Chapters

• 0:00 Who is Madison Hamelin?  
• 3:41 What drew Madison to Quinnipiac?
• 5:40 The 3+1 program in the School of Business
• 6:36 Transitioning from high school to college
• 7:15 Students supporting each other academically
• 9:42 School of Business Career Fair
• 10:34 Advice for students exploring business
• 11:32 How Madison's experiences have helped her grow?

Transcript

Joel Vanner: Hello, and welcome to ”Who Are You?,” the Bobcats you know the stories you don't. I'm your host, Joel Vanner, inside the podcast studio at Quinnipiac University's School of Communications, and I'm joined today by my guest, Madison Hamelin, Madison, welcome to the show. 

Madison Hamelin: Hi. I'm so excited to be here today. How are you? 

Joel Vanner: I'm good. How are you? 
 
Madison Hamelin: I'm doing great. I'm really excited to just talk with you, get to know you a little bit better, and get to know me a little bit better on the show. 

Joel Vanner: I was starting to think, who's the guest on the show? You were taking over there. Madison, we know your name.Do you prefer Madison? Maddy? 

Madison Hamelin: I'll do Madison today. 

Joel Vanner: Okay. 

Madison Hamelin: Change it up. 

Joel Vanner: We'll do formal. Okay. 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah. 

Joel Vanner: You can call me Joel. So, Madison, we know your name, but tell me who are you? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, so a little bit about me. I'm a three plus one business analytics major. Just recently declared a computer information systems Minor. 

Joel Vanner: Congratulations. 

Madison Hamelin: A little scary, but I'm really excited. I think it's gonna be a really good opportunity for me, like, just to keep going and pursuing, like, that sort of field. I'm from Western Mass-. 

Joel Vanner: What part? 

Madison Hamelin: So that's like a little exciting. Southwick. 

Joel Vanner: Okay, Bears and Dunkin' Donuts, and what else? 

Madison Hamelin: Love Dunkin. 5 minutes from a Dunkin. I'll get there. 

Joel Vanner: Okay. 

Madison Hamelin: Yep. And yeah, I just I am a part of Alpha Delta Pie sorority here on campus. I'm currently going into my role vice president of Marketing, super excited about it and can't wait to get everything started. 

Joel Vanner: Congratulations. Sounds like you're figuring things out, getting involved, your academic pieces, we'll dive into later in the show. But I'm curious about your passions and your ambitions. Take me back to Madison, learning about business, was it? What was your exposure to business? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, of course. We'll do a deep dive. I could talk for hours. Stop me if you need. You know what I mean? 

Joel Vanner: Okay. 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, so I'm from Western Mass again, and I think, like, what really, like, has brought me to where I am today is my family. So, we're going to go back to, like, my grandfather. That's actually, like, my go to guy. Like, we are best friends. Like, I go to him for everything. He started a company that actually has grown into what it is today, Hamlin Homes. Start out as, like, just a framing business, nothing crazy. 

Joel Vanner: So construction area. 

Madison Hamelin: Yes. Yes. So, it first started out as just like little side gigs here and there, and then he created his own business. And then later, my dad, he actually went and helped out the business and was really, growed it into what it is today, which is now a whole construction company working in developments, building homes. And I was there for pretty much everything. Like, I was their right hand man. Like I'm showing up 10:00 A.M. Dunkin' in my hands.  

Joel Vanner: Hard hat on maybe? 

Madison Hamelin: Like, literally. 

Joel Vanner: Feeling out the construction site. 

Madison Hamelin: It was really fun. And, I still do that today. You know what I mean? So, being through there, through those processes of them going through, accountants, them going through, plans, and, like, just talking to all those people and, like, being able to see what goes into building a home instead of just a house. You know what I mean? Having those connections with people, like,  trusting them to build, like, where you're gonna grow your family. 

Joel Vanner: Sure. The business aspects of it sounds like you were really interested in. 

Madison Hamelin: Yes, 100%. And like I was there, just through all those conversations. Even the ones that my dad would answer, like, halfway through a car ride. And I'm sitting there just listening in, being like, uh, I want to do this. I want to talk to people. And we, obviously, I'm a first generation graduate, so I will be the first person in my family to graduate from college. 

Joel Vanner: That's big. Congratulations. 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, thank you. Thank you. I'm really excited. And, it's brand new for all of us. Like, we have no idea, like, what we're doing at this point. So I consider myself like, test dummy. That's a family joke. That's the-. 

Joel Vanner: A trial. 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah. 

Joel Vanner: A trial period. 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, I'm the trial run. I'm the trial run 100%. But just being there and knowing that, what I'm going into school for can help out my family one day is huge. And even moving past just the family business, like, doing a little bit more with my degree. 

Joel Vanner: Yeah, absolutely. So getting that business background from being on the job site, being around your grandfather, your father, and the family business, what drew you to Quinnipiac? How did Quinnipiac come onto your radar? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, so this is, like, kind of a funny story. Like, when I think about it, it kind of makes me laugh because, like, so random and kind of makes sense for my family aspects, we're a huge hockey family. So my brother plays hockey. Like, my dad played hockey his whole life- 

Joel Vanner: Favorite NHL team is the Bruins. 

Madison Hamelin: It's got to be. Come on. I'm from Mass. I have to. 

Joel Vanner: Just asking. 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah. So, like, we're chilling and, like, watch the games. So, when actually the championship was happening in 2023. 

Joel Vanner: At Quinnipiac? 

Madison Hamelin: Yes. 

Joel Vanner: Okay. 

Madison Hamelin: It was on the TV. And I was applying for schools, like, coming up and it was kind of late in my process of figuring out what I wanted to do. You know what I mean? Like where I wanted to be seen, for the next four years. And he put on the TV, and he's like, Madison, like, have you seen this? Like, have you seen the school? Like, Look how cool it looks. Like, they're about to win. And I'm like, Oh, like, where are we right now? This is so cool. And seeing the school pride that was happening in the stands and like, understanding that everyone was there because they wanted to be there. 

Joel Vanner: Absolutely. Down in Tampa, Florida, there for the National Championship. 

Madison Hamelin: Exactly. Like, you could tell people wanted to watch. And then it's all over, like, my feed. I see it everywhere. Like, it became such a huge thing, like, not only, like, around, like, US, but also like at Quinnipiac. You know what I mean? And I saw myself, like, sitting at games and like, being all excited. I wanted that experience. You know what I mean? Like, being from a small town. 

Joel Vanner: You saw that community. You're like, I want that. 

Madison Hamelin: Yes. 

Joel Vanner: Did you take a tour? Did you-. 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah. So actually, my dad was like, Let's go. He was so for it- 

Joel Vanner: Get in the car that night. 

Madison Hamelin: Practically practically. I think it was like the next week we came over, and I was driving through, just seeing everything in, like, a beautiful campus, 100%. And like I just saw myself so fully invested in, like, this is where I want to be. You know what I mean? Applied, got in. I was so excited and just knew that this was what I wanted to do. 

Joel Vanner: And you applied into the three plus one program? 

Madison Hamelin: Yes, I did. So when I got that back, I was a little like, Wow, they saw the opportunity that I had. You know what I mean? Like, they saw the potential that I had to grow and, like, be successful in a three plus one. And that was really important for me because I wasn't just seen as another number in a school. I was seen as something that Quinnipiac valued as a person. 

Joel Vanner: For those who may not know, what is the three plus one program? What are the benefits? And where are you right now? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, of course. So I'm a second year, so I will be graduating next year, which, a little scary, but I think I got it. I think I got it going on. Like, I'm ready. And so that's where, like, I'm going through school for three years, putting in the extra courses each semester. Also doing courses over the summer, like, if needed. I know I came in with a few transfer credits from, like, AP classes, and then moving forward with that, like, going into my MBA year, my fourth year of college. So I'll be graduating in four years with my MBA degree, as well. 

Joel Vanner: What has that adjustment been like knowing you wanted to go into a business related field because of the family business, but then coming here and going right into accelerated studies. How have you adjusted to that? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, I think I always, had a passion for, like, my academics in school. Like, even in high school, I was really invested in my grades, making sure that I was always staying on top of things like that. So then, coming to school, it was a very easy adjustment for, like, the workload. But then also, my effort towards school was, like, almost heightened. And like I saw the impact that I was making in my classroom, like, talking to people, meeting my professors, and getting that sort of like interest out, you know what I mean? Like, seeing other people who were interested in the same things as me. 

Joel Vanner: So that academic community that you've talked about and that you found here at Quinnipiac, you're giving back to it as an engagement fellow in financial accounting? 

Madison Hamelin: Yes, with Ruth Muhammad. 

Joel Vanner: What do you do as an engagement fellow in the course? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, so as an engagement fellow, I'm sitting there more as a peer for students. So I'm sitting and watching, like, the notes that are going on the screen, being there, just for help if they need, like, the extra sort of, like, communication with, like, not the professor. If they don't feel comfortable going to them about, like, issues that they're having in the course, struggles, they can come to me and, like, have that opportunity to, like, see what's going on a little bit better. 

Joel Vanner: Because you've been there, right? You took the course and you were suggested for this program. 

Madison Hamelin: Yes, so I was suggested through a professor that is different than Ruth Mohammed. So I've never actually worked with her. She didn't really know the engagement fellow course load and, like, what I was doing on the other hand. So we really worked together in that sort of sense. Like, I was there, new. She was new to it, too, and we just had a great time communicating and also figuring out my expectations for her, but her expectations for me as a student. 

Joel Vanner: That's a good lesson in business, too, with teamwork, working with different working styles, learning how to work with other people. You're also a pure catalyst for our first year seminar course in the honors program. What's the difference with your role as a pure catalyst compared to an engagement fellow? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, so I would say it's very similar. My professor that I work with as a pure catalyst, Dakota Root, really good mentor to me. I actually am so thankful for everything that she's done, and not only in opportunities and being a peer catalyst, but just helping me in, like, professionalism, making sure that, I understand my role and just being there as a support system, like, one that I didn't really know that I would have in college, the peer catalyst program is really about, like, me being, like, another support system rather than a peer helping with work because the first year seminar is more just, like, meeting new students, having an adjustment to Quinnipiac. 

Joel Vanner: Welcome in. Here's everything you should know. And it can be overwhelming at times, so I'm sure having you in the room really helps students there. 

Madison Hamelin: 100%. I've honestly, like, received so much, like, feedback about, like, how much more helpful it is, like, for them to be able to go to a student rather than going to a professor. They're in a new environment, new change, and I've been there before, like, coming in from being from a small town, like, it's scary. It's scary. So, like, being there as a support system is so meaningful, not only in, like, my side of things, but also seeing what I do for them. 

Joel Vanner: Other support systems that we have here in the School of Business. Specifically, they had a career fair. And you went to the School of Business Career Fair. What was your experience like just taking it all in and what's possible in the industry? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, I actually am all for the career fairs. I had a great time going there for my first, like, ever really experience like talking in a professional environment and, like, really connecting with people for the first time actually at the career fair. I met these women part of Northwestern Mutual, which is an opportunity that I have to talk to them and just, like, be genuine about who I am, what I'm looking for, in, like, internship-wise. I'm looking at that just in the sense of getting the experience out of things. 

Joel Vanner: Absolutely. 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, so that's going really well, and I went to them and they were so helpful towards me in my academic journey and have seen it almost as another mentorship type and seeing more opportunities for growth moving forward. 

Joel Vanner: So academics, finding your way, right, building your community and the different involvements you have, taking your courses, progressing in your program, what advice would you give to students who maybe aren't sure if they're ready for business or aren't sure if they're ready for an accelerated program? What would you say to them to help get them started in the right way? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, I think that just, like, it's okay not to know. It's okay not to know what you're doing. It's okay to make sure that you don't have your plan yet. Not everyone has the same path, and that's like, no one does. I don't have the same path as another student here at Quinnipiac. But Quinnipiac is able to see us as individuals and know that, like, we each have our own sort of connection going. You know what I mean? And, like, also, like professors on campus. They're there for support. And like, knowing that you have these sort of outlooks, is your free reign for doing whatever you want to do maybe years in advance from being at school. 

Joel Vanner: And personally, for you, these experiences, also your experience in a sorority on campus, how have these all helped you grow into who you are today and continue to shape you in the future? 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, I think that, like me as a person, I would have never sat here today with you a year or two ago. I was really, like, struggling with, like, my confidence in, like, showing who I am. And this was a great opportunity for me to really explain, like, how much I've grown through being at school, having these connections, putting myself out there, growing into that, like, growth zone mindset, and not staying in  

that comfort zone that I'm so used to being, like, just at home. Being at school can make you push yourselves even to a further level. 

Joel Vanner: And there's tons of opportunities to get involved here at Quinnipiac through the engagement fair that's held at the beginning of every term. You can also start your own club or organization. There's hundreds of them already, tons of student run opportunities to just get involved and find your community outside of your academics too. 

Madison Hamelin: 100%. I mean, being a part of a new organization that actually is at campus a few weeks ago now at this point. 

Joel Vanner: Congratulations. 

Madison Hamelin: Thank you. We're actually called the Networking Association. So I am the director of PR and marketing. I do all of our social media for that and want to show our brand. That we're something new, something a little different. And other students coming to Quinnipiac can also see that they can make anything out of anything that they want to do. If they have an interest, you can find others who have that interest as well. 

Joel Vanner: You're continuing the spirit of entrepreneurship. 

Madison Hamelin: Yes. 

Joel Vanner: For Quinnipiac that runs in your family. 

Madison Hamelin: 100%. I've got to. I have to for my family. 

Joel Vanner: Well, Madison, it was great to have you on the show today. Thank you so much for joining me and sharing your story so far. 

Madison Hamelin: Yeah, thank you for having me on. I really appreciate it. 

Joel Vanner: If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to subscribe and share and find other episodes on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube podcasts. Until next time when I ask my next guest, who are you? I'm Joel Vanner. Bye for now.