NOTABLE NETWORKING

Zach Evens '20 and Michael Reiney '17

Alumni love to help students and there is a genuine desire to do so. We need to be proactive in connecting current students with alumni in their fields of interest.

The importance of networking in today’s job market is at an all-time high. Guilford College recognizes how vital this is to our changing world, and is working hard to make sure Guilford students keep that competitive edge. In order to do that, Guilford students are relying on Guilfordians who came before them to help blaze the trail.

A wonderful example of a student who is taking advantage of Guilford’s deep and unbreakable connections is Zach Evens ’20. Zach had the initiative to meet with not one, but two New York-based alumni while his family was visiting the Big Apple during the recent holiday break: Michael Reiney ’17 and Jake Lubel ’06. Michael is a Strategic Partner Manager at Payability, and Jake is an Analyst at Loews Corporation.

Zach, a double major in Economics and Business Administration, summed up the significance of these pairings perfectly, saying, “Alumni love to help students and there is a genuine desire to do so. We need to be proactive in connecting current students with alumni in their fields of interest. Too often, very, very smart and driven students are stuck in a summer job (or worse, a career) not relevant to their career goals and interests. It’s a connections game — we need to make these connections for students. Very rarely can one apply ‘cold’ and even get an interview to a competitive job or internship listing, no matter how high their GPA is. We need to leverage people like Jake and Michael to improve outcomes for recent graduates and thus increase Guilford’s national profile.”

For current students, the answers to why they take the time to have these meetings are obvious: to make connections, gain insights and maybe even create job opportunities.

For Michael and Jake, it was equally obvious: the pull to Guilford and desire to help those still at their alma mater. Michael said, “Guilford's alumni network helped and guided me while I was in college, and I know that it’s super important for students to have these relationships. I had a great experience at Guilford, and my experience had a lot to do with people who went out of their way to help me. People like Betty Kane (faculty), Mike Poston (former Vice President for Advancement), Tom Palombo (Head Men's Basketball Coach) and Fred Taylor '77 (alum and Board of Trustees) were always in my corner and helping me get to where I wanted to go personally and professionally. I want to pay that forward.”

Zach’s initiative to connect with Michael and Jake led to two strong future connections. It’s not always about being able to provide internships or jobs; just hearing from someone who is working successfully in your field and started in the same place you did is helpful. When asked about the impact he felt he had, Jake answered, “I just think he now has one more resource that can help him — introduce him to folks, provide advice — in the same field he will be entering upon graduation.” While this may sound simple, it’s exactly what the College is hoping to achieve with its new Guided Discovery Program.

For Zach, their encounter carried quite a bit of weight. “My meeting with Jake helped so much — not just by expanding my network but by expanding my knowledge of the industry and receiving career advice. He is now on my short list of people to call when I have a relevant question, as is Michael.”

Zach continues, “One comment that made a real impact was when he said, ‘It’s extremely easy to reach out and meet experienced and knowledgeable industry leaders when in school. Once out of school it’s not impossible, but becomes more difficult because you might be working for a competitor and quite simply life gets in the way.’”

Zach and Jake Lubel '06

As Zach has found, people love to help students. “That can apply to undergrad as well as grad school and I hope to make the most of my remaining opportunities to do so.”

In his experience reaching out to Guilford graduates, Zach says he has found a deeply embedded desire to stay connected and to help in any way they can. The Guilford community has invaluable resources waiting to uplift our students. With our new volunteer program, we hope Zach’s experience with Guilfordians will become more and more common. But we cannot do this without the continued support of alumni. Together we can help secure the future of Guilford College!

To find out more about the new Guided Discovery Program and to sign up to make a difference today, visit www.giving.guilford.edu/volunteer.