A Student’s Perspective
Story and photos by Ethan Eli San Pedro
Freshman International Business Major
With expert panelists speaking on a wide variety of topics, and a mixer where students could socialize with peers and professionals, the Bryan School’s 4th Annual Back to Business event served as a great exhibition of the school’s dedication to career preparedness. The event was also a kick-off to the Bryan School’s celebration of its 50th anniversary, showcasing an active learning environment that will help the next generation of business professionals realize their passion and potential.
Joining me in this celebration were hundreds of other eager and curious students who listened to the advice of the speakers and learned from the experiences they generously and enthusiastically shared with us. Together, we explored how to build one’s personal brand, how to manage stress, and even how to recognize and seize opportunity through entrepreneurship. We also learned about the value of internships, the aspects of leadership and management, and personal finance.
While one session may have featured a single charismatic, yet down-to-earth, speaker, another may have had a Q&A panel. All in all, the speaker sessions had something for everyone and you were bound to walk out with a key takeaway that you might not otherwise have learned if not for having attended the Back to Business event.
Following the speaker sessions was a mixer where one would find alumni and professionals mingling and participating in speed networking rounds. The mixer began with all of the attendees venturing over to a variety of different tables hosted by a diverse range of business professionals. After each speed-networking round, students were eligible to have an event card stamped. After four stamps, they would be eligible to enter a raffle that featured generous prizes like a 50 inch smart TV.
The 4th annual Back to Business has only been my first; yet, based on my experience, I’ll be looking forward to attending the future iterations of this event. It’s through this celebration that I’ve been able to socialize with peers, learn from professionals, and network with potential mentors while in an environment that emphasized professional growth and self-realization. It is in that sense, that Back to Business perfectly mirrors the principles of the Bryan School of Business itself and it is for that reason that I greatly encourage my peers to attend its next celebration.
