<ong>Name: Bradford T Nordholm (Class of ‘78)
Major: Economics
What you are currently doing:
CEO of a private equity fund that builds and buys renewable power and transmission companies
Activities you were involved in at Carleton:
Rotblatt, Carleton Orchestra, Carleton Jazz Band, Theater, Alumni Association, IM Tennis
Favorite Carleton Tradition/Event:
Snow days on the Bald Spot
Is there anything that particularly surprises you about Carleton’s campus today or what current Carleton students are doing?
The campus is beautiful. I’m very proud of the natural beauty of the Arb, and impressed by the new buildings. The students are VERY inspiring: bright, intellectually curious, engaged, committed to Carleton, appreciative of the community.
What is your favorite story from your time at Carleton?
Freshman year, during a snowstorm, we filled the halls of Ground Davis where we lived with 3 feet of snow.
Looking back, what is the single most influential/greatest/useful lesson/thing you learned at Carleton?
To be skeptical , yet positive and intellectually honest.
What is different about Carleton now compared to when you attended Carleton?
There is a stronger sense of community and more uniformly appreciative students.
What was your major and how does it relate to where you are now?
Economics. Very much. I’m involved in discussions that draw on both macro- and micro-economic theory as applied to the energy markets on a daily basis.
What would you want to hear from Carleton seniors that would get you excited about them/help them find a job?
That they have done enough research and have enough experience to be thoughtful and confident that they know what they’re getting into and will be motivated.
How has your Carleton experience set you apart in the job market? What advice can you give to students currently looking for jobs?
Initially, no, but as the complexity of the work increased, my Carleton experience became an advantage. Hang in there!
Now that you are an experienced alumnus, what’s one thing you might have done differently during your college life to aid you towards achieving your greater goals?
I would have benefited from more contact with Alums who could have provided perspective on the value of early work experience and graduate programs.
What was the best part/worst part about the year after you left Carleton? How have you and your friends kept in touch? Did you move to places close to one another? How have you made new friends?
I never cease to be amazed by how much I love reconnecting with Carls 30-plus years after graduation. These connections become more meaningful to me every year.