Central michigan students given advice, perspective on the economy and the future

The small Grawn lecture hall filled slowly with accounting and business students looking to get extra credit and advice. Well dressed business professionals and Central Michigan University professors stood in a small circle at the front of the room shaking hands and chattering excitedly.

Jody Patton, senior director of development in the college of business administration at Central, introduced speakers Richard Levick, Esq., chief executive officer and president of Levick Strategic Communications and author of the book Stop the presses; as well as Glen Ware, Esq., managing director of the Washington D.C. bureau of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"Do you know what the TATA is?" Levick started. "Because it's already deciding the future in Detroit. The cheese has moved, and most of you don't know what's going on."

The room was deadly silent as Levick and Ware scolded, doled out advice to students, and discussed what it meant for business professionals to deal with the financial crisis in the "war room".

"First an event will take place, and you may only get a letter from a senator in congress asking a question," said Levick. "If you don't start early and 'crack the book' on getting things done, within hours other senators will be writing angry form letters demanding answers, then the bloggers, and then the traditional media."

The two focused specifically on the global market and how it's affecting the national scheme of how things are run on wall street and businesses today.

"You may finally be able to settle things down by 10 o'clock, and you'll think you're done," said Levick. "But, you're not. You're on a 24 hour cycle. Because the foreign regulators will just be waking up in Hong Kong. And, they'll want answers, too."

Students all over the room shifted a little uneasily throughout the presentation as the two asked pointed questions, walking up and down the aisles of the lecture room.

"How many of you read the Wall Street Journal?" asked Ware. Reluctantly, a small number raised their hands. "There are about 150 people here, and only this many read. You need to read."

The two speakers both agreed that the world knows about the United States, but people in the United States knows very little outside it's borders.

"We have never been in a more vulnerable position before in our country's history before, ever," said Wane. "And everybody from bus boys to CEOs need to pursue excellence, be distinct and better, or this ship will 'go down'."

The discussion wrapped up with the two giving the strongest advice of the day.

"Understand your own personal strength," said Levick. "Enter the market place like you're on a good date. Know about your date, dress well for your date, and be passionate about it."

Although the question seemed to be talked about by many of the students before the lecture started, none asked the question of the future job market for students graduating within the next couple years. However, the two answered it because it's been asked before by others.

"We've been through these types of crises before and survived it," said Wane. "The recovery will be quicker than imagined because communication is much more instant. Freshman and sophomores will likely enter a booming market."

Bio on Richard Levick

Glen Ware and an interview he did about corruption with David Janson of Bulletproofblog