MAGNOLIA, Ark.— Students in the College of Business at Southern Arkansas University had the opportunity to hear firsthand what it is like in the real world of business from graduates and business leaders during the sixth annual Classroom to Careers Conference held on October19.
The program provides students opportunities to interact with members of the business community and potentially make relationships that lead to employment opportunities.
During the conference, business students attend programs dealing with various aspects of career development and other career issues. Discussion topics included, “Careers in Accounting,” “Careers in Information Technology,” “Careers in Finance,” “Careers in Management,” “Careers in Marketing,” “How Globalization and Diversity Affect Your Career,” “How Ethics and Social Responsibility Affect Your Career,” and “How to Transition from the Classroom to Your Career.”
Speakers included Daniel Angelov, assurance associate with PricewaterhouseCoopers; Shelley Evers Pruitt, accountant with Murphy Family Offices; Matt Helms, technology director of Magnolia Public Schools; Roslyn Lisenby, systems administrator with IFSA Data Storage, Inc.; Jonathan Baird, investment advisor representative with Mustard Seed; Greg Bennett, owner of Greg Bennett Company; Shan Pletcher, certified insurance counselor with Magnolia Insurance; Tina Spells, registered sales assistant with BancorpSouth Investments; Janie Waller, branch manager/loan officer with Peoples Bank. Meah Biley, senior credit manager with Wells Fargo Financial; Leanne Fallin, owner of Physiques gym; Todd Smith, president of Peoples Bank; Stacie Phillips, assistant product coordinator with Dillards Inc.; Jessica Williams, field support representative, Experian; Joel Parrish, a senior product development manager of Wal-Mart; April Porchia, corporate representative with Walt Disney Company; Candace Rankin, executive assistant with Farmers Bank & Trust Co. and Russ Toms, webmaster for the Radio Group.
Conferences began at 8 a.m. and continued on until the noon hour when a luncheon for speakers, faculty and the Business Student Advisory Council was held. The speaker for the luncheon was Bill Anderson, president of Dowdney, Anderson & Associates, Inc. of Dallas.
The final activity of the day was a panel discussion with Murphy Oil Corporation personnel. Murphy Oil Corporation employees who participated were Bryan Ogle, Andrew Qualls, Lyndy Crowe, Melissa Reynolds and Terra Bovee.
