Valpo Alumni Open Doors for Current Students
Alumni of the Valparaiso University College of Business are returning to campus to share their experiences and expertise with the professionals of the future with Project Leadership Initiative for Grooming High-performing Talent (LIGHT), a unique program offering coaching, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help Valpo students stand out from their peers.
Each month, Project LIGHT’s volunteer alumni facilitators lead the group in a discussion about a topic related to critical business skills. These include hard skills such as the use of Microsoft Excel and Google Analytics as well as soft skills such as networking and job search strategies. Specific sessions have included writing resumes and cover letters, as well as examining the success of professional individuals known for their personal branding.
“I completely had to redo my resume, which I was really frustrated with at the time,” Alison says. “However, after I finished it, sat down, and went over it with people in the class and Montel, I thought it was a really well written resume. I’m happy I did it.”
Students involved in Project LIGHT are expected to be active participants, completing self-guided work before each meeting in order to engage in and contribute to that month’s discussion. To qualify for membership in the program, a student must submit a resume and short statement detailing their reasoning for applying and maintain a sophomore GPA of at least 3.0.
The program comes from the efforts of Dean Niclas Erhardt and College of Business alumnus Montel Hall ’18, a market analyst for Citibank. Montel says the idea began during a conversation between the two regarding how Valpo alumni could do more to help guide today’s students.
“I wanted to go beyond just the occasional alumni campus or class visit,” Montel says. “I wanted to start a hands-on program that would be interactive, consistent, and really worked to help develop Valpo’s business students.”
As the idea for Project LIGHT took shape, Montel took inspiration from an organization that inspired and encouraged him when he was a student.
“A lot of my thoughts for how the program would be run came from a nonprofit organization called Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) which I was a part of in college,” Montel says.
Other volunteer facilitators who have agreed to take part in Project LIGHT include Paige Heuer ’17, a senior tax accountant at EY, Matt Davies ’07, a global e-commerce and marketing supervisor for 3M, and Ben Tiemann ’17, a senior strategy associate at KPMG.
Montel and Allison say Project LIGHT is a worthwhile investment for any qualifying student.
“From my perspective it would be a no-brainer to get involved in an organization such as this one,” Montel says. “You are getting knowledge for succeeding in the current corporate environment from alumni, and you are getting a chance to build a personal connection with alumni who could be helpful in securing internships in the future.”
“It’s something that’s really important work on; it’s something that, even if you’re really busy, it’s going to help you get a job. It’s going to set you apart from other people,” Allison says.
While the program is still new, Montel has ambitious plans for what Project LIGHT can do for Valpo students.
“I have great expectations for the program,” Montel says. “The bigger picture is to change the current landscape of the business school and fill a needed gap. I want this program to not only help increase the business and professional acumen of the students but also expose them to all the opportunities that are out there.”
Montel also hopes that Project LIGHT can help ensure members have internships, leadership opportunities, or full-time positions lined up after graduation.
“The program is still new, and I am sure we will learn and evolve as we continue to grow,” Montel says. “However, I know that this initiative can change Valpo forever.”
