"The way I view my calling changed while I was at Acton. It is no longer just about creating a legacy solely based on my job."
Michael Hanson '07
Credentials:
- Current Associate with Parkman Whaling
- Account Manager, COMSYS
- MBA, Acton School Business; BFA, Acting, Southern Methodist University
Competitive. Confident. Creative.
So described by mentors and colleagues, Michael Hanson went from acting to Acton with a path of accomplishments in between. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from SMU, Michael earned the Greer Garson Award for Excellence, the highest honor bestowed in acting for graduating seniors. He performed in several theatrical productions, studied at Oxford, trained with world-renowned Shakespearean teachers, and served as the media coordinator for the documentary, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.
Passionate and disciplined with an insatiable curiosity, Michael has spent his academic and professional career intensely focused. After leaving SMU, Michael moved to New York and became an Account Manager at COMSYS. When he was ready for business school, he chose Acton because he wanted "a more intense, alternative experience than the traditional MBA programs offered" and believed that Acton would help him find the perfect career. "Prior to Acton, I believed that my career would be my life's work and that my lasting legacy would be through my job."
Instead, through Acton's Life of Meaning class, Michael discovered that his calling was more than just his career, but included his family life and work in the community as well. "The way I view my calling changed while I was at Acton. It is no longer just about creating a legacy solely based on my job."
After graduation, Michael accepted a position with Parkman Whaling, an investment startup in the oil and gas industry.
