Bauer College welcomed graduate student alumni to campus recently for a special luncheon where they had the opportunity to meet with Dean Xianjun Geng and share their ideas on the future of the college. 

The event is part of a series of recent gatherings and initiatives for the college to better connect with graduate alumni.  

The start of the semester kicked off with a Graduate Welcome Night that connected Bauer’s new cohort of MBA and MS students with alumni, faculty and staff.  

In addition, Rockwell Career Center started offering alumni career coaching. Bauer alumni who are six months post-graduation can now continue working with their established RCC career coach they had as a student and attend Bauer career events, including the bi-annual career fairs.  A separate branch of alumni career coaching is now also available for students who graduated between May 2020 and December 2024.  

The newly appointed RCC Assistant Director for Alumni Coaching and Career Services Amanda Wysinger will be working with alumni, whether they are looking for a new job or looking to advance in the position they’re currently in.  

“I want alumni to know that they have a place to return to,” she said. “They have a network and connection to people they trust at Bauer College.”  

The sentiment of Bauer being a home where alumni can always return was a sentiment repeated throughout the luncheon.  

Alumni enjoyed reconnecting with RCC staff and reminiscing on their time at Bauer with their peers. Many expressed that they felt a sense of belonging at the college, as if they were all family, and that they were proud to call themselves Bauer alumni.  

One particular alumnus who is known to continuously give back to his alma mater is Latinpresarios Founder and Personal Branding Consultant Alejandro Sanoja (MBA ‘17). 

He has served as a guest lecturer for the Cougar Investment Fund, regularly speaks at the International Student Orientation and is now an adjunct professor of finance at Bauer.  

“Everything I learned, everything I’ve been able to do here in the United States is thanks to the education I got here,” Sanoja said. “I’m so grateful for the transformation that happened here at Bauer, so whenever they ask me to do something, I feel it’s just the right thing to do.” 

Director of Alumni Relations Bria Johnson (BBA ‘15) said it’s important meet alumni where they’re at, understand the things that they’re looking for and what the college can do to support them. 

One alumna shared that a differentiator for Bauer is RCC. She said that they were phenomenal in providing support to all their students, and now their alumni. Another stated that he appreciates the college leveraging its Houston location to connect students with industry. 

Something that they all seemed to agree on was that they wanted there to be more opportunities for alumni to feel more connected with their community of other Bauer graduates. 

After lunch was served, Geng spoke and shared a few words on the importance of continuing to foster a relationship with students after they’ve graduated.