In 1984, Laura Cederquist and a friend walked out of a movie theater wanting to be the next martial arts prodigies. “We just thought The Karate Kid was so cool,” said Cederquist, Mgt 92, now a financial manager in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. “So we walked to a studio up the street from the theater, signed up for lessons, and I’ve been training in the martial arts on and off ever since.”
Cederquist practices Korean Soo Bahk Do and trains students at a local studio a few times a week. “It’s not about beating people up,” she said. “This type of movement is more of the ballet of martial arts.” The Alumni Magazine spoke with Cederquist about the ties between martial arts and finance, and more.
What did you want to be as a child? I wanted to do something like teach English in Japan, which stemmed from my interest in martial arts. … I changed majors three times during my first few quarters as an undergraduate at Tech. … Once I realized that I didn’t have to take [engineering] calculus as a management student, I knew I’d found a fit.
How did you come to work here? Most people in my family went to Tech … and my son is destined to come here, too. As a student, I got a job working in the School of Civil Engineering’s accounting office, which evolved into a full-time position once I graduated. After about two years, I moved on to my current position and have been here for 18 years.
What’s an average day like at the office? I balance my school’s financial books and make sure we don’t overspend or underspend based on our budget. I help faculty members with grant proposal and sponsored funding questions, and with purchasing items. Even though my office tries to focus on finance, my assistant and I wind up dealing with a little bit of everything.
Where is your favorite spot on campus? I like the sunken garden over by the library. I used to take naps there as a student.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Always finish what you start.
If you could have dinner with one person, who would it be? Audrey Hepburn, because she’s my favorite actress and had a very interesting life beyond acting.
What do you enjoy particularly about Soo Bahk Do? It’s challenging on both a mental and physical level. The founder, Hwang Kee, based the art on scientific principles. The focus of training is bettering yourself mentally and physically and not just the martial/fighting aspect.
Do your friends and coworkers know about this part of your life? They do, but it has been there for so long that it isn’t a big deal. Acquaintances are surprised sometimes especially since I’m not quite 5 feet 2 inches and don’t look like a poster child for a martial art practitioner.
Are there any similarities between finance and martial arts? The concentration learned from Soo Bahk Do has gone a long way to helping get particularly tricky budgeting and other problems figured out. Many things learned while training help out in not only finance, but all parts of life like patience, respect, courage, honesty.
Do you think you could take Daniel Larusso? Maybe when I was a lot younger. I’m not interested in doing any long-term damage to my body by fighting at this point in my life.
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