Connecting (and Reconnecting)
Our weekend in Seattle kicked off with a fantastic alumni social held at Tulio’s restaurant in downtown Seattle. More than 30 alumni joined us to network and hear Dean Randall’s vision for the school.
Mark Call, Vice President of the University of Utah Seattle Alumni Chapter, also updated us on what’s happening at the local chapter. It was great to meet some new faces and reconnect with old friends! During the trip, Dean Randall and I spent time visiting with a few of our fantastic supporters. We met with our contacts at the JP Morgan Chase Foundation, Madrona Ventures, Harken Capital, Thermo-King International, and Business Advisory Services.
Business Scholars Hit Seattle
On Friday, our Business Scholars students had the awesome opportunity to visit Costco and Microsoft. At Costco, David Sherwood from the Investor Relations Group, gave an amazing presentation on Costco’s history, current status as the top box store, and future plans for growth. The students were eager to learn about the organization as the visit enhanced the retail case they had just finished in class the week before.
Following Costco, the students headed for 1 Microsoft Way to meet with five Utes at Microsoft. Paul Iverson, Director of Finance for Bing, kicked off the presentation by telling the students all about Microsoft, its products, and what it’s like to work for this powerhouse corporation. The students received some great gifts from Joel Wright, Director of Tax Controversy, and heard from Tim Kennedy, Senior Marketing Manager; Justin Henriksen, Senior SDE; and Mat McBride, Director of Office 365.
This opportunity was an invaluable one, as students were able to see all the possibilities their business degrees can provide and the various roles available after graduating. When asked what advice they would give the students, the presenters told students to dream big and not underestimate themselves.
After a Friday night on the town, the students were up bright and early for a young alumni panel on Saturday morning. Four of our great Seattle Utes spent their Saturday morning fielding questions from the engaged students, sharing their career paths, and offering their advice and help. Special thanks to Kyre Malkemes with Quicksilver, Matt Chantry with HomeStreet Capital, Tyler Riggs with Adobe, and Melissa Paul with Eddie Bauer!
Alumni Association Tailgate, Football Game
The weekend culminated with a great tailgate hosted by the University of Utah Alumni Association. We had a great turnout—it was awesome to see so many Utes!
