Speed Networking Pairs Alumni and Students
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Speed Networking (Photos by Peter Ringenberg)
Key points:
The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business hosted its inaugural Executive Connections, a speed networking event, bringing together 24 alumni executives and MBA and Specialized Master’s students.
Students engaged in 12 five-minute conversations with alumni from diverse fields, including real estate, entrepreneurship, and leadership. The format aimed to ease networking anxiety.
Every participant expressed interest in repeating the experience, with one MBA student describing it as “one of the highlights of my MBA experience.”
Drew Mitchell (MBA ’08, BBA ’01) found common ground with students quickly, discovering a connection through a mutual friend from high school. Hayden Mascarenhas (MSF ’27, BA ’23) and Margaret “Meg” Simon (MSM ’27) shared a laugh over their mutual passion for ballroom dancing.
“Small world, lots of laughs, and then, right on cue, the bell cuts the conversation off, often mid-sentence,” remarked Mitchell, partner and senior vice president of development at Holladay Properties.
The event connected 24 alumni executives and business leaders with students in Mendoza’s MBA and Specialized Master’s Programs, offering valuable one-on-one interactions and insights into leadership, innovation, and career strategies.