Explore Recap

    On Saturday, Oct. 24, UNC Charlotte held its annual Explore event - virtually! Students who attended were able to attend various information sessions and then later go into breakout rooms to discuss more specific topics. Within the Belk College of Business, we held information sessions and a Drop-In session with topics such as Academic Programs, Student Perspectives, Business Learning Community and Business Honors Program. Also, students were able to learn more about the mission statement of the Belk College and our core values of integrity, excellence, and many others! 

    Despite being virtual, Explore served as a great way for current students and staff to engage with potential Niners on any questions they had, as well as provide an overview of campus resources. We are excited to welcome our new students in the upcoming years and look forward to our next admissions event!

    Thank you to everyone who was involved in making Explore Fall 2020 a success!

 

Peer Guides on Team Engagement

Team building is a very important aspect of any organization. Since this semester has been a bit different, our Peer Guide team is going to share some of their tips with you on how they continue to participate in team engagement virtually! 

    1. Communication is key

As a team, we have maintained a GroupMe chat and consistently communicate with our supervisor via email. This has helped us communicate effectively about our daily work or just to wish each other well on upcoming events and exams.

 

    2. Stay connected

The Peer Guide team meets every Monday to discuss projects and events at hand and 

each one of us have bi-weekly one-on-ones with our program coordinator, Sarena Taylor. These meetings help us connect and touch base with each other every week, share ideas for projects, ask and answer questions, and much more. 

    3. Interactive activities to stay engaged 

At the beginning of every team meeting, we engage in a brief activity that is an adapted version of Rose and Thorn. We have named it “Stay or Leave” to reflect the theme of professional development. For this activity, each team member takes turns to mention any positive that makes them feel grateful or happy and also one negative that can be a challenge for that week. 

    4. Bonding activities 

In a regular environment, we would have team bonding activities to allow us to grow as a team outside of working hours. We plan to continue this in a virtual capacity by participating in online escape rooms and having a team game night! 

    5. Collaboration on new projects

Within the Peer Guide team, each of us have our own personal projects. As the semester has progressed, we try to each collaborate with one another on how to turn our personal projects into a joint venture. This has not only helped us grow as a team, but has also allowed us to create content that Belk College of Business students will benefit from. 

By having a reliable form of communication through our GroupMe chat and staying connected through team meetings, and bonding activities, our Peer Guide team has been able to stay engaged as a team, especially in the virtual environment. How does your team stay engaged? Share with us below! 

Peer Advisor Spotlight: Bailey Harris

Hi! My name is Bailey Harris. I am a current Junior, studying Marketing Analytics. This is my first year as a Peer Advisor and I look forward to helping and speaking with my fellow students! For my on-campus involvement, I am the current Chapter President of Alpha Kappa Psi which is a Co-ed Professional Business Fraternity, and have been a part of it since my freshman year. The Belk College of Business is the home to students who all have the common goal of growing into the best professionals we can be, that is why I love it so much! We are all trying to push each other to be better and to try a new career and academic endeavors. Being a Peer Advisor I truly enjoy aiding my fellow students in their growth and ensuring they always know the whole Peer Advisor & Niblock Student Center Team are all here to help them in any way we can! 

Willis Speaker Series Event - Certainty in Uncertain Times - Oct. 27.

What? – Willis Speaker Series Event - Certainty in Uncertain Times - 5-6 p.m. Oct. 27.  Tosh Siao of Willis Towers Watson in Charlotte will present to students regarding Certainty in Uncertain times and Internship opportunities with Willis Towers Watson.

Why should you attend? – Tosh is one of the most successful Insurance Professionals in North Carolina and has a wealth of knowledge regarding how to succeed in your career!

Where do I register? – Register today at https://forms.gle/vLu5c3n12MwahY5v8

The WebEx link will be forwarded to you via meeting planner.  This is an important opportunity to build your network and hear from one of the best in the Financial industry!

Register today and stay focused on your future!

Peer Advisor Spotlight: Harvey McCullough

 

Hi everyone! My name is Harvey McCullough, and I am a Senior, Business Administration, and Management Major with a concentration in Talent Management. At UNC Charlotte, I serve as a Peer Advisor for the 2020-2021 school year! Additionally, I am involved in the Society of Human Resources Management where I am the Assistant Director of Membership. I'm also involved in NABA, Building Better Brothers, and Kingdom Men. My advice to incoming students here at UNC Charlotte is this; College is much more than success in the classroom. Never miss an opportunity to build connections and expand your network. Who you know can be as big of an asset as what you know! 

I became a Peer Advisor because, like our entire team, I want to assist new students with the best resources and advice to be successful in the Belk College of Business. Like so many, I am a first-generation college student who received very minimal guidance going into college. My mission now is to use the knowledge that I have acquired over my four years in Charlotte and give it to those students to kickstart their college career and success. What I love most about the Belk College of Business is the opportunity for students to interact with experienced business professionals. Networking with professors and advisors could potentially open doors for opportunities ranging from professional development to job offers after college! The Belk College of Business is rich with resources. I recommend that students make an appointment with our Peer Advising staff because our talented team will provide the best resources and advice from a student’s perspective for your college success!

You Belong with PwC

Please join the Belk College of Business in welcoming professionals from PwC for the You Belong event on Tuesday, October 27. This is a great opportunity targeting Black and Hispanic pre-business and other pre-major students in the Belk College of Business. 

About the event:

Ever wonder what a career in accounting might look like? Ever looked around one of your business classes and worried about not fitting into the workplace? Join PwC for a night of meaningful discussion about a career in public accounting and learn how our firm is addressing diversity & inclusion.

Date: Tuesday, October 27th

Time: 4:00 - 5:15 pm EDT

Location: Zoom (link will be sent with final confirmation email after registering for event)

Dress: casual

Registration: http://tinyurl.com/yydxqrlg

Women in Business Coffee Hour

Women in Business, WIB,  will be holding its second monthly Coffee Hour Monday, October 26. WIB coffee hours are all about discussing different topics that impact women in the workplace. There are usually business professionals that come and speak to the group. The main reason for these coffee hours is to join meaningful conversations about gender equity in business, build your network, and meet professionals from all different types of companies. 

This month’s Coffee Hour will be on October 26, 2020 from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The meeting will be held via zoom. In the meeting, we will talk about the topic “Advocating for Other Women”. There will be professionals from Ally Bank, LPL Financial, Bank of America, Sherwin Williams, and Charlotte Radiology joining.

Students can register for the coffee hour here. We encourage you to bring a friend so that more people can learn about this topic. The next and final coffee hour for this semester will be held on November 30.

Lunch and Learn: Recap

By: Mansi Sodha

On Wednesday, October 14th, the Niblock Student Center hosted Thomas Guier. Thomas majored in Operations & Supply Chain Management at North Carolina State University. Following graduation, Thomas has held many roles at Target and currently serves as a Senior Operations Manager at Target. 

Throughout this Lunch & Learn, Thomas spoke about how COVID-19 has impacted the overall operations of Target and how the distribution center in Newton, NC has been able to keep up with the inevitable demand of a pandemic. Students also had the opportunity to ask Thomas about Target’s internship program and gain perspective about a career in operations and supply chain management. 

Thomas, thank you so much for your time and insight regarding this relevant topic in today’s time! 

If you missed this Lunch & Learn, please be sure to check out our Canvas page (linked below)  for the recording of this event along with many other professional development resources! 

https://belkcollege.uncc.edu/academic-programs/undergraduate-programs/current-undergraduate-business-students/career-resources

Our next Lunch & Learn will be on Tuesday, November 17th at 11:45am in which we will discuss authenticity in the job search. Hope to see you there! 

Peer Advisor Spotlight: Erika Colvin

 

Hi everyone! My name is Erika Colvin, I am a Senior, Finance major and I serve as one of the Senior Peer Advisors for the 2020-2021 school year! Just a little about myself - I am involved in NABA, NCNW, and I am an affiliate of the Women in Business initiative. Along with that, my advice to new students is to stay involved on campus to build your network. Although we all have one common goal - to graduate, college is a great place to connect with others to assist yourself in being successful in your future endeavors! 

I became a Peer Advisor because I wanted to assist students in being successful throughout their college career by offering advice from my own journey. My favorite thing about the Belk College of Business is that as a student I am offered plenty of professional development opportunities and through different professors, I am given advice from real-world experiences. I highly recommend all students to connect with their professors because you never know what companies or advice, they are willing to offer to their students. In conclusion, I think students should make an appointment with a Peer Advisor because we are here to give you educational advice through our experiences. All of the Peer Advisors are great students who are heavily involved in college, so we are prepared to offer students the best advice!

Applications for the 2021 Orientation Counselor Team are Now Open and Due on Friday, 10/23 at Noon!

Orientation Counselors at UNC Charlotte use their leadership skills to welcome new Niners and their family members to campus annually. During this leadership position, OCs serve as small group facilitators, peer educators, resource guides, and role models to first-year students, transfer students, families, and guests as they transition to UNC Charlotte. Orientation Counselors also help facilitate Gold Rush and Family Weekend programming. If you are interested in learning more about becoming an Orientation Counselor, we encourage you to attend one of our virtual Interest Sessions. To register for an Interest Session and apply to be an OC, visit tinyurl.com/nsfslead. For additional information, please contact New Student & Family Services (NSFS) at oc-team@uncc.edu.

Industry Needs with Grant Thornton & AIS

The Association of Information Systems is hosting Shannon Karpovich from Grant Thornton to discuss industry needs. All are welcomed and encouraged to join! Register and get the Zoom information here. 

Transfer Tuesday Spotlight: Andrew Rhyner

 

Where are you from? Medford, WI

What made you choose UNC-Charlotte as your school of choice for your undergraduate degree? UNC Charlotte’s finance program was a top 10 state ranked program. I had talked to several alumni prior to applying, and they had nothing but good things to say about the university as a whole, as well as the Belk College of Business. 

What are the reasons you chose business as your major?   I had several years of experience as an executive in a local Charlotte company; I wanted to increase my employability by complementing my experience with a business degree.  

What upper level major are you pursuing?   Finance, Finance Concentration 

What activities and organizations are you involved in?  VSO and Future Leaders of Finance and Accounting 

Please name resources and/or support that’s helped you while at UNC-Charlotte.  Immediately after transferring I visited the University Career Center and acquired help polishing my resume and returned for several other visits for various additional support.  The career fairs have been extremely beneficial to me, I have made some great connections and continue to build on those relationships. 

What is the most beneficial business class that you’ve had thus far?   Finance Management [FINN 3120] with Professor Bush; this class was a great cornerstone and I felt Professor Bush challenged me, and other students, to not only learn but retain the material.

What are tips you would share with new transfer students to assist them with their academic and career success?   First, Take full advantage of the resources on campus. The career center is great for preparing your resume, practicing for interviews and gaining confidence when beginning your career search. Second, attend the career fairs as soon as you can; it is so important to start networking with potential employers and exploring what each employer has to offer. Finally, surround yourself with those who have similar academic goals as your and manage your time wisely.  If you need additional help with your classes, visit your professors, attend office hours and/or go to TA review sessions.

From what school did you originally transfer?   Central Piedmont Community College

Thanks, Andrew for sharing your transfer experience with us!

Did you have a great transfer transition experience? Have you just started at UNCC and want to share your tips for getting involved? Email chollom1@uncc.edu and we can feature YOU!

Upcoming Lunch & Learn with Target

Where did all of the toilet paper go?

This Lunch & Learn will explore supply chain issues during this pandemic. Target Corporation will join this session to share insight into the supply chain and merchandising, especially as we saw these topics rise to the front of everyone's mind during the toilet paper, paper towel, and cleaning supply shortage of this pandemic. We hope to see you there, in person or online! Register in advance here.