SCOB holds Organization Expo
Students explored ways to get involved on campus during the Sorrell College of Business Organization Expo held last Wednesday.
Representatives from student organizations and campus programs spoke with students about opportunities for leadership, professional development and community outside the classroom.
Clay Graham, a lecturer and program coordinator for the Sorrell 360 Center for Professional Life, said the expo gives organizations within the college an opportunity to introduce themselves to students.
“This is a place where all of our Sorrell College of Business organizations can come and showcase what they have to offer students,” Graham said.
The college has organizations connected to disciplines including management, marketing, sports management, hospitality and tourism. The expo also included representatives from Women in Business, the IDEA Bank and the Sorrell 360 Center.
Graham said joining an organization can help students build their resumes, pursue leadership positions and meet classmates and faculty members with similar interests.
“There’s a lot of truth to old adage: It’s not all about what you know, but who you know,” Graham said.
Freshman Mary-Kaitlyn Moss, a business administration major from Prattville, Alabama, attended the expo to learn about opportunities that could support her academic and professional goals.
“This will help me out with my major because one day I want to open my own bakery,” Moss said.
Women in Business was one of the organizations represented at the expo. Mauree Alice McCall, the organization’s faculty adviser, said its goal is to educate, encourage and elevate college women interested in business.
The organization is not limited to business majors or students who plan to start their own businesses. McCall said the organization provides professional development and encouragement to female students from all different backgrounds.
“I really love seeing the women who step into leadership roles,” McCall said. “They’re really dedicating a lot of their time to just bringing people together.”
Junior Keeley Bulman, a risk management and insurance major from Fairhope, Alabama, has been involved with Women in Business since her freshman year and now serves as its treasurer.
Bulman said she wants students visiting the table to remember the organization for how its members interacted with them.
“I want them to remember us for our connection and our positivity,” Bulman said. “I want them to be excited about getting into Women in Business.”
Bulman said becoming involved and attending college events can also introduce students to opportunities they may not otherwise encounter.
At a separate Sorrell career event, Bulman met a Chubb representative who encouraged her to apply for an internship. She later completed a summer internship with the company.
“Through his contact and his connection, he remembered me, and that really helped start up my interview process,” Bulman said. “Honestly, I think having the Troy University connection kind of helped me secure my internship.”
The IDEA Bank also attended the expo to introduce students to its entrepreneurship programs. Reanna Thompson, the IDEA Bank’s program and marketing coordinator, said she works with students at different stages of developing their business ideas.
Some students come to the IDEA Bank with an early idea and need help deciding what to do next, while others already have customers and want to grow their business.
“There are so many doors that you don’t even know are there that we could open for you,” Thompson said. “If you have the most niche business idea in the whole world, come to a networking event, come to a program expo.”
Bulman said students should not be afraid to take the first step and speak with an organization.
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