Reconnecting

Dear College of Business
Administration Alumni,

My name is Mark Baczewski, ’97, and I am the vice president of the College of Business Administration Alumni Association. I know I speak for my fellow board members when I say I look forward to reconnecting with each of you in the near future.

Like many alumni, after graduation I began the trek called “The Real World.” The last thing on my mind was how I could give back to the College of Business Administration. But after being in the workforce for five years, I was contacted to participate in the CBA Mentoring Program, which teams students up with mentors to explore if they would like to pursue a particular career path before they sign a specific major. I have thoroughly enjoyed volunteering and being in a position to provide valuable career advice to current students. This past fall I took part in my fifth mentoring program.

Balancing work, a relationship with my wife and family, and also giving back to my alma mater can be quite challenging at times. I have discovered that the more I give back in Mount Pleasant, the more rewarding it becomes. The sense of accomplishment people get from giving back to the university and giving back to the students is like no other.

Working with current students has opened my eyes to the great quality of education they are receiving in Grawn Hall. I was extremely honored to be a keynote speaker for the CBA Honors Day Awards in April. The involvement of these current students helps provide the college with a bright future indeed.

Stemming from my time spent with the mentoring program, I was approached by the current president of the board of directors, Julie Nowicki, to join the board. We have been operating since November 2006, and we are working in conjunction with Dean Mike Fields’ vision for the college. Being on the board provides a great opportunity to work with current students as well as with alumni from
all walks of life.

As CMU and the College of Business Administration continue to grow, there are more and more events and ways you can devote time. In addition to the mentoring program and the board of directors, there are other ways for alumni to get involved. These include departmental advisory boards, alumni presenters, Dialogue Days, Dow Corning Executive in Residence, alumni awards, and the Dean’s Business Advisory Council. For more information on the above-mentioned programs, feel free to contact Jody Ackerman Patton at patto2ja@cmich.edu or (989) 774-1732.

There are so many ways to reconnect and stay involved with the College of Business Administration at CMU. I hope that I have shed some light on the variety of things that are currently in place and have encouraged you to take an active role with your alma mater even with your busy schedules. I think you will ultimately find it rewarding.

Sincerely,

Mark Baczewski
Vice President
College of Business Administration Alumni Association