Credit: Chyler Smith ’28

Careers rarely follow a straight line, and what began as a day dedicated to academic knowledge for economics majors has evolved into a career-focused, networking experience that connects students with alumni across industries. Beloit College students, faculty, and staff engaged in one-on-one conversations with alumni working in venture capital, consulting, finance, marketing, technology, law, healthcare, sports management, entrepreneurship, and public relations.

The day began with case studies and featured Todd Hansen ’89, founder of O’Malley Hansen Communications, who shared insights on several topics related to his work, including storytelling, influencer outreach, and integrated marketing. Then, Sydnee Tuggle and Carson McDonald ’20 spoke about their notable successes – the launch of Wells Fargo’s travel credit card and a partnership between two Cincinnati favorites: Graeter’s Ice Cream and Skyline Chili, “Skyline Spice” ice cream – to further student reflection.

Credit: Chyler Smith ’28

After lunch, two panel sessions deepened the conversation. The first, moderated by Kevin Smith, assistant professor of economics and business, explored “Generative AI and the World of Work.” Panelists Mandy Bickerman ’99, Demetri Mouratis ’90, and Brandon Strawn ’10 described how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, analyzed its role, and emphasized that to be successful students need to stay up-to-date on technology’s advancements and to build skills such as critical thinking, adaptability, and lifelong learning. Speakers highlighted for students that the communication skills they learn at Beloit College are their comparative advantage.

“AI will take the tedious work and let creatives be creative. Focus on the ability to share your ideas in a clear way,” said Bickerman, CIO of Marketing Gen AI and Reinvention Associate Partner at Accenture. “You learn how to communicate at Beloit, but most engineers don’t.”

The second panel session, “Finding Your Path,” brought together recently graduated professionals including Katie Arnold ’25, Linnae Capuder ’19, Aadi Joshi ’25, Laura Lehmann ’19, Stella Lutes ’25, and Prince Upadhyay ’25. Moderated by Disha Shende, assistant professor of economics and business, the discussion focused on early career exploration, pivots between jobs, and nonlinear professional journeys. “Treat your academic work as a way of thinking about the world, a way to develop analytical skills that extend beyond problem sets and into real-world decision-making,” said Joshi, a Data & Finance Analyst at Boa Safra Ag LLC. “Reach out to alumni. I thought it was just something that people said, but it really works.”

Credit: Chyler Smith ’28

Over 50 alumni attended the Convening of the 40th Annual Network at the Midway Club, a continued commitment that reflects the core values of the Department of Economics & Business – mentorship, professional connection, and opportunity. Hubbard Garber ’81 received the second annual mentorship award, exemplifying this 40-year tradition, going above and beyond to share career advice and professional contacts.

The reception that followed the Convening invited conversations to continue in a more informal setting, increasing connections between participants, and momentum to build the relationships as students navigated their time on campus and after graduation.

Students like Sristi Halder ’26, a quantitative economics and data analytics double major, attend the summit year after year. “This was my fourth time attending an event that is special to me. It is a wonderful platform to connect to alumni and gain insights from industry leaders,” she said.

“Beloit College alumni are always willing to help. This event brings that platform to us when we need it the most.”

To ensure the future of this event, President Eric Boynton announced a fundraising effort to endow the Business Networking Summit, establishing a goal of $750k and the renaming to the Emeritus Professor Jeff Adams Business Networking Summit.