by Lauryn Fetkovich
Through our cohort’s “Net Impact” organization, students were able to meet with MBA-SBP alumni. This event was held on February 24th, and it was completely virtual via Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Net Impact was kind enough to put together this optional networking opportunity to meet new professional contacts and businesspeople, so I wanted to take full advantage of this gathering.
Prior to meeting, students were briefed about the alumni members that would be attending, and a short biography about themselves. Meghan Butler (the President of Net Impact) placed us into break out rooms where we had more dedicated time with alumni. This made it a lot easier to ask questions and fully grasp what they had to say.
There were three different break out rooms where alumni broke down their professional and personal backgrounds. Through this we were able to understand why they joined the program, and what ignited their passion for sustainability and enhancing their futures. These alumni were from all over the United States, and some were even right in the backyard of Duquesne’s campus! Some people attended undergraduate programs at Duquesne and wanted to continue their education immediately after. Others decided to work for a significant amount of time and then go back to school when the time seemed right. It was intriguing to see how different people’s paths were before this MBA program, but how it also united them by a common thread that enhanced their lives.
A few people that really resonated with me were individuals who now had professional paths in marketing, sales, and consulting work. When they described their current positions, I made notes to analyze if this would be something I could also see myself doing long-term. Students were able to ask questions, but it was important for me to take individual initiative after the networking event. I added almost all of the people we conversed with on LinkedIn and e-mailed a few to have one-on-one discussions regarding more advice and information for my job search post-graduation. I’ve already spoken to one woman who helped me make a networking connection with a company I’ve been interested in.
It will be exciting to meet more with these accomplished professionals and discuss our common bond that will stay with us forever, Duquesne University. This networking event as a whole was applicable towards my continual growth throughout my graduate studies.
One-Year MBA 