Tag: pathways to business and industry

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Office of Engaged Learning Pathways to Industry Student Academic Engagement & Success

Advancing High-Impact Practices: A Semester of Engagement in Pathways to Business and Industry

Business Journalism alumni

This fall, PBI continued its collaboration with key partners, including the Hegi Family Career Center, Mustang Mentors, University Advising Center, and Peer Academic Leaders (PALs). We are also excited to announce new collaborations with the Lyle Career Center and the Meadows School of the Arts Alumni and Career Success office.

PBI hosts events that promote recruitment and engagement for students interested in careers in business and industry, particularly for those not majoring in a Cox School of Business program.

PBI Playbook: Key Plays
The PBI Playbook provides students with a roadmap of experiences they can engage in to explore careers in business and industry. Key plays that students could have checked-off this fall included:

  • Scheduling an Advising Session
  • PBI Welcome Social
  • Welcome to Lyle: Pathways Prep
  • Pathways to Careers in Business Journalism Alumni Lunch & Learn
  • PBI Coffee Chat with Steppingblocks Digital Career Counselor
  • Introduction to Business Research
  • Scheduling a Degree Planning Session with PBI PALs
  • History in Action: Pathways to Business and Beyond

Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) Office Hours
This spring, PBI PALs Ruth Assefa and Tiffany Nguyen will continue hosting office hours to provide mentorship and guidance to current PBI students. They are available for coffee chats and can assist students with navigating the Steppingblocks Digital Career Counselor platform. Meetings with Ruth and Tiffany can be scheduled easily through SMU 360.

Upcoming Events

  • Cox 4+1 Webinar: PBI and the SMU Cox School of Business will host a webinar on December 4th from 12–1 PM. This event is open to all undergraduate majors. Students can register here.
  • January Stampede Family Fest: PBI will be recruiting incoming transfer students on January 15th.

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

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News Office of Engaged Learning Pathways to Industry Student Academic Engagement & Success

Connecting Majors to Careers: PBI Campus Collaborations

Meadows business journalism students presenting

The Pathways to Business and Industry (PBI) initiative is working with campus partners to help students explore how their academic interests can translate into careers. These upcoming events reveal how different majors and skills can open doors to a variety of opportunities in the business world. Encourage students who are interested in business but not in the business school to attend. Students can register for events on SMU360.

Business Journalism Alumni Lunch and Learn – Wednesday, Oct. 29 | 12–1 p.m. | HTSC Chamber
Students can hear from SMU alumni who have built careers reporting on markets, companies, and economic trends. Alumni panelists include Elizabeth Guevara (Breaking News Writer for Investopedia), Shelbie Hamilton (Denton County Editor, Community Impact), Connor Pittman (McKinney Editor, Community Impact), and Saniha Aziz (Lead Communications Director, USAA), moderated by Professor Jake Batsell, Chair in Business Journalism.

Introduction to Business Research – Tuesday, Nov. 11 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Fondren Library 109
In collaboration with the Duda Family Business Library, this workshop introduces students to essential business research tools and databases that can support career exploration and professional development.

History in Action: Pathways to Business and Beyond – Wednesday, Nov. 13 | 3–4 p.m. | Virtual
Partnering with the University Advising Center and Department of History, this session highlights how history students translate classroom skills into careers across industries, demonstrating the value of transferable skills in the workplace.

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Office of Engaged Learning Pathways to Industry Student Academic Engagement & Success

Fall 2025 Pathways to Business and Industry (PBI) Events

Students attending alumni panel

We’re excited to kick off the Fall 2025 semester with a strong start! On August 28th, we welcomed 32 students to our PBI Welcome Social, a great sign of growing interest in professional development and career exploration. 

We’re especially grateful for the support from faculty and staff across campus — including the Lyle School of Engineering, Department of History, Meadows School of the Arts, Office of General Education, University Advising Center, Office of Engaged Learning, and PBI PALs Tiffany Nguyen and Ruth Assefa — who help make these opportunities visible and impactful for students. 

This semester, the Pathways to Business and Industry (PBI) initiative will host a variety of events designed to help undergraduate students explore career paths, connect with industry professionals, and build key skills for the future. These events are open to all students interested in business and industry, who are not pursuing a major in the Cox School of Business. 

Please encourage your students to check out the full list of upcoming events and register on SMU 360. 

 

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News Office of Engaged Learning Pathways to Industry Student Academic Engagement & Success

Reflecting on a Successful Year: SMU Pathways to Business and Industry

As we wrap up another incredible year, the SMU Pathways to Business and Industry (PBI) initiative is proud to reflect on its accomplishments and milestones. With 51 events hosted or co-hosted, we’ve been able to offer students countless opportunities to engage with industry professionals, peers, and mentors across various fields. 

One of the most exciting highlights was the hiring of Tiffany Nguyen as our PBI Peer Academic Leader (PAL). Tiffany’s dedication and leadership have been invaluable in fostering student engagement and success throughout the year. 

Our collaborations with key partners, including the Hegi Family Career Center and the University Advising Center, have played a pivotal role in connecting students to resources and providing the support they need to thrive. A particularly memorable event was the Pathways to Careers in Management Science Alumni Panel Lunch and Learn, a collaboration with the Lyle School of Engineering. This event provided an exclusive opportunity for students to interact with successful alumni and gain insights into the diverse career paths within management science. 

Additionally, we’ve continued to highlight valuable tools such as the Stepping Blocks Digital Career Counselor, which helps students better understand career trends and access personalized career insights. We’ve also produced the Pathways to Business and Industry Playbook – a comprehensive guide for students with campus resources and partners to know, as well as actions they can take to prepare for their future career.

Overall, this year has been filled with meaningful connections, exciting collaborations, and a continued commitment to providing students with the resources they need to succeed in the business world. We look forward to another year of growth and opportunities for our SMU community! 

PBI is currently planning programming and events for the fall, so if you are interested in collaborating with PBI for fall 2025, please contact us at pbi@smu.edu.  

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News Office of Engaged Learning Pathways to Industry Student Academic Engagement & Success

Pathways to Business and Industry Spring 2025 Events

SMU Pathways to Business & Industry logo

 

 

The Pathways to Business & Industry initiative offers a full slate of spring programs in collaboration with campus partners. These opportunities are designed for students interested in exploring business and industry careers while pursuing a major in another field. Students can register for events through SMU360.

Social & Networking Events
PBI Scholars Welcome Social
Enjoy free tacos, meet other students and faculty, and learn about resources available on campus.
– Thurs, Jan 30, 2-4 PM, Clements Hall Scholars Den

TGIF Lunch in the Scholars Den with PBI
Come have lunch and meet other students and staff in the PBI program.
– Fri, Feb 21, 12-1 PM, Clements Hall Scholars Den

Workshops, Trainings & Panels
Pathways to Careers in Management Science 
Learn what a B.S. in Management Science can do for your future from a panel of recent SMU alumni. Lunch provided. Co-hosted with Lyle School of Engineering.
– Wed, Feb 19, 12-1 PM, HTSC Chamber

Introduction to Business Research 
Learn to use Mergent Intellect, IBISWorld, and Factiva to investigate companies and the industries they operate in. Co-hosted with Duda Family Business Library.
– Tues, Feb 18, 11AM-12 PM, Fondren Library 110

Degree Planner Workshop
Get help using SMU Degree Planner from your Peer Academic Leader (PAL).
– Thu, Feb 27, 2-3 PM, Fondren Library 109

Stepping Blocks Workshops
Learn how to use the Stepping Blocks Digital Career Counselor as a tool to guide your career path forward.
– Tuesday, March 4, 12:30-2:30 PM, Online
– Tuesday, April 15, 12:30-1:30 PM, Online

Advising & Mentorship
PBI Coffee Chats
We’re here for you! Enjoy some coffee or tea and have a one-on-one chat with PBI staff.
– Schedule anytime by e-mailing pbi@smu.edu

PBI PAL Office Hours
Have questions? Want to learn more? Meet with your PBI Peer Academic Leader (PAL) Tiffany Nguyen.
– Mon, Feb 3, 1:30-3:30 PM, Clements Hall Scholars Den
– Tues, Feb 4, 12:30-2:30 PM, Clements Hall Scholars Den
– More dates to come. Check schedule on SMU360.

PBI UAC Advising
Receive one-on-one advising with a PBI University Advising Center advisor.
– Workshop: Mon, Mar 10, 3-4 PM, Hughes-Trigg 227
– PBI Drop-in Advising: Mon, Mar 31, 2-4:30 PM, Blanton 408F
– PBI Drop-in Advising, Mon, April 7, Clements Hall Scholars Den
– PBI Drop-in Advising, Mon, April 9, Online

 

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success

Peer Academic Leaders complete programming for Fall 2024

The Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) have completed their programs and events for the Fall 2024 semester. The PALs are a diverse group of undergraduate students who dedicate their time to helping their peers succeed academically.

Under the direction of the Office of General Education and in collaboration with Residence Life and Student Housing, the PALs plan and execute engaging programming on campus and in their assigned Residential Commons.

Some highlights from the semester include:

The Office of General Education is proud of the continued success of the PALs program. Students are encouraged to keep up with PALs events through SMU 360 or by following them on Instagram (@pals_smu). Faculty and staff are encouraged to promote PALs one-on-one appointments to students as well.