Category: Office of Engaged Learning

SMU Pathways to Business and Industry (PBI) is an exciting initiative dedicated to supporting undergraduates as they navigate their academic journeys and prepare for careers in business and industry. By fostering aspirations and providing resources, PBI equips students with the tools they need to succeed both during their time at SMU and beyond.

This fall, PBI collaborated with key partners, including the Hegi Family Career Center, University Advising Center, and Peer Academic Leaders (PAL), to organize a diverse selection of events. These 15 sessions spanned various academic disciplines, featuring contributions from departments such as Journalism, History, and Operations Research Engineering Management.

One of the highlights of the fall term was the Pathways to Business and Industry Current Student and Alumni Panel. The panel brought together current students—Daniyal Saleem ’27, Oliver Xu ’26, and Bianey Rojas ’27—representing majors like Data Science and Management Science & Economics. Alumni speaker Sean MacKenzie ’23, an Economics graduate now working at JP Morgan, offered valuable insights into transitioning from college to a professional career.

As we look ahead to the spring semester, PBI is gearing up to deliver a lineup of unique workshops, social events, and targeted programs. Students are encouraged to explore the calendar of events and register on SMU 360 to take full advantage of these opportunities.

Additionally, this spring, our dedicated PBI Peer Academic Leader (PAL), Tiffany Nguyen, will be hosting office hours to provide mentorship and tailored advice to current PBI scholars and students interested in joining the program. She will also lead Spring Degree Planner Workshop and the Stepping Blocks Digital Career Counselor Sessions, equipping students with practical tools to navigate their academic and career journeys. Meetings with Tiffany can be easily scheduled through SMU 360.

If you know any first-year, second-year, or transfer undergraduate students eager to explore careers in business and industry—even those without a business degree—please encourage them to join PBI by signing up at smu.edu/pbi.

For more information about the PBI initiative, feel free to reach out to Alisha Bailey at pbi@smu.edu. Pony Up!

By Tiffany Nguyen ’27, Pathways to Business and Industry PAL

Peter Mendiola’s journey into the world of history began when he was browsing the course catalog and was drawn by the diverse offerings. He enrolled in first history class at SMU: Texas History with Brian Franklin. The course left a lasting impression on him, particularly the unique perspectives it offered on the Alamo—exploring not only the traditional narrative but also the viewpoints of both the Texans and the Mexicans. He describes history as “very malleable,” how it is “written by the victors,” and getting jarred out of the perspective was impactful.

On top of his diverse set of classes, Peter was involved in Student Foundation, as part of the Development Team and the Bridwell Reading Group, that discusses various books and policy articles regarding economic philosophy. While he was involved on-campus, he was working for a construction company in the financial accounting department, gaining hands-on experience in the business world.  In his junior year, he was required to do a junior seminar class, where they spent the entire semester researching and finalizing on a tremendously large academic paper, sifting through large documents of information. As a history major, he is preparing to do his independent study in the spring.

Beyond his academic career, he worked at Ares Management, an alternative investment firm as a summer analyst this past summer in New York. During his internship, Peter found himself sifting through long, dense packets of information. Fortunately, he realized that his history classes had prepared him for this type of task, as they often involved analyzing similarly complex materials. The nature of history—its reliance on different perspectives and interpretations—made it easier for him to understand what was being communicated in the documents he reviewed. As Peter himself put it, he was grateful for his history major, which gave him the skills to navigate the information, a skill he hadn’t developed in his other coursework.

In the office, Peter was able to use his knowledge of history to connect with his colleagues. He engaged in conversations about historical topics that interested them, fostering meaningful relationships and creating a sense of camaraderie. He quickly learned that being able to engage in conversation and connect with others was essential to thriving in the workplace. Without that ability, he noted, it would be difficult to succeed in the company.

Peter also came to appreciate how understanding historical context is valuable not only in his field but in the business world as a whole. He believes that knowing the broader context of the world—how things evolved and where they began—helps in understanding various industries, from finance to marketing. In essence, everything has a starting point, and understanding that foundation is crucial for navigating the complexities of business. His future goals entail working at an investment firm, either in New York City, Miami, or Dallas, in wealth management, fostering connections with his co-workers with his knowledge of history, and knowing how the context for how the world is now. He hopes that when he speaks to people in his industry, that his love of history comes across and inspires people to learn more about it, as well as “inspiring other people to find what they like to do” besides their line of work.

By combining his interests in history and finance, Peter is setting an example for students who want interdisciplinary paths to business and industry. To find out more information about the SMU Pathways to Business and Industry, please contact pbi@smu.edu.