Prepared to Network

The Bauer Business Honors Program set an attendance record at a recent mixer, with students coming ready to connect with alumni, faculty and staff for academic and professional advice.

The Fall Mixer connects people from all corners of Bauer Honors at an off-campus venue to network and socialize. With nearly 190 attendees this year, many students brainstormed their questions ahead of time, seeking the expertise of people who were once in their shoes.

The first to arrive were freshmen from the same mentor group, ready to expand their professional circle.

"I'm asking about travel because I'm really interested in seeing where people go in the future and where they might adventure off to," management freshman Jayla Vongsy said.

"I want to ask about how to strike a good balance between putting a lot of effort into your academics and having a life outside that includes extracurriculars," finance and entrepreneurship freshman Jose Garate said.

"As somebody who wants to be an entrepreneur, I'm really excited to meet with others and ask how they got their ideas and how they made a name for themselves in the business community," entrepreneurship freshman Eric Lopez said.

Accounting and management information systems junior Sophia Rai entered Bauer Honors as a transfer student. This semester was her first time attending the Fall Mixer.

She came to speak with current accountants about industry trends.

"I'm interested in connecting with alumni, not only to network, but to get their career advice on what I should be doing professionally," Rai said. "I'm curious about changes in the industry coming with AI and other new technologies."

Alumnus Enoc Curiel (BBA '23) attends at least one Bauer Honors event per year.

When he was a student, Curiel remembers coming to the mixers eager to ask alumni about their day-to-day lives. These days, he's on the other side of the conversation, answering questions about his time in college.

He said events like these are why he's glad to be a Bauer Honors graduate.

"You learn things when you teach someone else, so it's good to talk through what I've gone through in my career," Curiel said. "I know it helps them to get some feedback from someone who went to UH, but it also helps me to do a check-in on where I am in my career."

Alumni Chris (BBA '17, MS '18) and Lauren Gervasio (BBA '18) credit significant parts of their personal and career growth to the time they spent in the Business Honors Program, maintaining several relationships that they made as students today.

They both shared the pressures they previously experienced to achieve career success and encouraged current students to ask questions and explore possibilities that are out there.

"Often, especially in the accounting program, there is a very clear cut, cookie-cutter career path that I did not take," Chris Gervasio said. "I always focus on growth potential. I think it's an important part of coming back and modeling the way."

"My advice would be to start with your purpose and worry about climbing the ranks and money later on," Lauren Gervasio said. "That's certainly the path that I feel like I took, and it paid off in the long run."