Dear alumni and friends of the college:

It’s hard to believe we are already nearing the end of fall term and looking forward to another holiday season!

I’m excited to share an update with you on a new program that is well-underway at the College of Business. In September we kicked off Fridays in Austin, a signature component of the College of Business’ newly expanded initiative aimed at ensuring student success. 

The idea behind Fridays in Austin is to partner with our alumni and friends in industry to give our students opportunities to learn about different industries, explore career pathways, and find their passion through weekly presentations, workshops, networking events and professional development activities.

We’ve had seven weeks of very successful Fridays in Austin events. The energy in the building is high, and the feedback from everyone – students, guests and faculty -- is extremely positive. Students at all levels and across all majors are getting an opportunity to meet and network with their peers and industry leaders which is building a strong community of engagement. Students are exploring their interests within their own majors and gaining a deeper insight into critical topics like ethics, innovation and global business.

Serving as a panelist, mentoring a small group, sponsoring a project or giving a guest-lecture are all great ways to inspire tomorrow’s business leaders and help them to be profession-ready upon graduation. We’d love to have you join us and share your perspective and experience with our students.  

If you are interested in volunteering, please let us know by filling out a volunteer contact form or contact Breanna Grigsby at 541-737-0038.

Gratefully yours,

Mitzi Montoya, Sara Hart Kimball Dean