Navigating Together

Rockwell Career Center International Roundtable Builds Foundation for Graduate Students
By Monica Resh Nguyen

With more than 50,000 students in a city of over 2.3 million, it’s easy to feel lost when you first arrive at the University of Houston, especially if the infamous traffic isn’t the only new challenge you’re facing. 

For more than a quarter of graduate students at Bauer College, the adjustment goes beyond academics. They’re also navigating a new country, unfamiliar cultural norms and an entirely different professional environment. 

About a decade ago, Paula Marsh, former Associate Director for Career Services, did what Bauer staff do best. She found a way to help and launched the International Student Roundtable. 

“We wanted to provide them with a platform for learning the tools of the job search, learning how to build relationships and also helping them build their confidence,” said Erin Sweeney, Bauer’s current senior career development specialist who has facilitated the International Student Roundtable since 2013. 

The program began with group discussions and meetings. Today, it has evolved into an expansive network of career-driven professionals who are ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities offered by Houston’s business community. 

“The RCC Roundtable gave us a foundation,” said Andrew Esiri (MS ‘25), a Nigerian-born energy professional who came to Bauer to blend his technical background with business development skills. “We joined a student network, relearned the ropes of how to use LinkedIn, how to meet other people here in the U.S., developed our elevator pitches and learned all the skills we will use in the field.” 

 The support extended far beyond the table. 

“When I first came to Bauer, I was like, ‘Who is this RCC person who keeps emailing me?’” said Mobola Dosumu (MS ’24), a Nigerian sales leader. “I was getting emails almost every week, and it felt like they were more invested in my career than I was,” she joked. “It was beautiful to have career advisers who were so passionate about my success, pushing me and driving me to take advantage of every opportunity.” 

When it came time to attend one of the annual career fair events hosted by Rockwell, Fatemeh Loripour (MS ’24), a finance professional from Iran was ready, thanks to her Bauer career coaches. 

“I didn’t get an offer after my first career fair, but I had all the contact information for the recruiters,” she said. “Using what I learned from the Roundtable, before the next career fair I reached out to those recruiters and told them I was coming back with a lot more experience and was excited to talk to them. I got another interview, and now I have a job offer. It is because of the Roundtable and my career preparation.” 

Helping Bauer’s international students reach their professional goals is not just about LinkedIn profiles and elevator pitches. The RCC Roundtable’s small group sessions create a space where students feel seen, safe and supported. 

“One thing that really stood out to me during the RCC Roundtable was the sense of belonging,” said Shalini Gupta, a current MS in Marketing student from India. “You’re an international student. You move from your home country. Then, there is a room full of people navigating the same journey. I realized I’m not alone in this.” 

That sense of community has made the transition a little easier for many Bauer graduate students. 

“You’re going to face a lot of challenges,” said Alejandro Sanoja (MBA ‘17), a Venezuelan native who now works as a branding consultant and teaches finance in Bauer’s Executive MBA program. “Without the support system of the International Student Roundtable, I think it would be very difficult. When I came to Bauer, I realized everybody wants you to do well. It is not a zero-sum game. Everybody is rooting for you.”