LSB prepares students for business world

Alex Ajayi

The Lawrence Scholars in Business program is now in its second year. It offers Lawrence students who are interested in business the skills necessary to penetrate this competitive industry in the future.
Throughout the year, the Lawrence Scholars in Business program has hosted a series of seminars, focusing on some aspects of the wide range of business disciplines. In the past, there have been seminars on banking, investment and consulting, among others.
Each of these seminars feature alumni who are successful in their related careers. “These events bring students and successful alumni together. We get an opportunity to learn from them and initiate lasting connections that can be beneficial for us in the long run,” said 2009 Scholar in Business Syed Abbas.
Abbas and Katelin Richter were named the 2009 Lawrence Scholars in Business. Every year LSB names up to five students to be the year’s scholars. This esteemed title comes with a $5,000 scholarship meant to help the career advancement of promising students.
“I am very fortunate to have the scholarship. It will be very beneficial if I have to travel for internship interviews or if I take on an unpaid internship,” said Abbas.
LSB seminars offer Lawrence students what most business majors in other schools only read about: the ability to network with high-status business professionals.
“In the wake of our less-than-perfect economy, the connection we have somewhat determines how far we will get. A person’s job prospects without connections is as promising as shooting arrows in the air hoping to hit a dartboard,” said Abbas.
LSB is governed by the LSB committee, which consists of six faculty members from different departments as well the LSB alumni coordinator, Robert Perille ’80, who is the managing director of Shamrock Capital Advisors. Perille is also on the university’s board of trustees.
Numerous alumni such as Perille have given their time to this program, making it obvious that alumni are very invested in the program.
“Many of these alumni give up their weekends and fly out to Appleton because they care about Lawrence and really want to help students,” said Suzie Kraemer, a senior who discovered she wants to be a consultant after attending an LSB seminar on management consulting.
“The alums reassure us that we don’t have to have a specific major to be successful. You feel better about not having everything figured out. It is comforting when I hear them say most of their colleagues went to liberal arts colleges,” said Kraemer.
The LSB program launched last year with an investment-banking summit. Since its formation, the LSB seminars have been attracting a growing number of students with various academic interests who are considering careers in business.
The next LSB event will be the alternative investments seminar, which will take place Saturday, March 6. This event will host expert alumni who are willing to share their life experiences in business to prepare students for being able to manage effectively in the competitive global marketplace.