Student Profile: Daniel Hackenson ’10

Student learns the value of getting involved in the community.

Bryant strives to provide opportunities for students to volunteer and become active members in the community. Daniel Hackenson ’10 (Webster, MA) seizes these opportunities.

“Community service has always been a big part of my life and being able to continue this at Bryant is great,” he says.

As part of the Community Engagement and Service Learning course offered by the Sociology Department that he took last spring, Hackenson helped run a basketball program at a Providence middle school. He also worked with the Greenville Public Library to survey users and gather data that could be used to improve the experience for their patrons.

Every Thursday Hackenson drove to the Springfield Middle School in Providence to run the HoopStarz basketball program organized by the Providence After School Alliance (PASA).

“Being involved in the surrounding area makes Bryant seem that much more like home,” he says. “You are able to interact with Rhode Islanders and learn to appreciate the neighborhoods more. It is such a rewarding feeling when you know you have helped make the life of someone else better.”

Hackenson knew immediately that Bryant was the place for him the moment he stepped on campus. He chose to study finance because it gives him the chance to explore a wide variety of topics that are critical in the business world like economics, management, investments, and math.

His favorite professor is Dave Greenan, lecturer in the Management Department, who taught “Business 101.” “Professor Greenan was always full of energy, and he brought that excitement to class,” he says. “He definitely made my first year at Bryant memorable and worthwhile.”

As part of the class, Hackenson’s team produced a business plan for a company they created that consisted of over 85 pages of financial predictions, product designs, and marketing materials.

Outside of the classroom, Hackenson is a resident assistant and is a graduate of the Students Advancing in Leadership (SAIL) program. “SAIL taught me so much about being a leader and about respect, cooperation, determination, and communication,” he says.

After graduation, Hackenson would like to work for a financial company in a major city like New York or Boston. He is planning to pursue a master’s degree and would eventually like to teach some college courses “as my way to give back to the educational system,” he says.

Hackenson describes Bryant as a second home. “It is the perfect size … big enough to meet many new people but also small enough to let you know you are not just another number.”

Ultimately, he is confident that his time at Bryant is preparing him to excel after graduation. “With a background in both business and the liberal arts, the education I am receiving and the activities I am taking part in are preparing me to take on the world.”