Mentor Blog #3

This entire mentor experience was unforgettable to me. I have heard from other people that they did not enjoy spending time with their mentor and their group and even that their mentor met with them rarely. This was not the case for my mentor group experience. My mentor was extremely conversational, friendly, polite and funny. He was always concerned with our college life and any problems or concerns we had. He became more than just a business executive that gave us advice, he became our friend. When we went out with him I felt comfortable talking to him as if he were another member of the group of students. He always took us out for nice meals along with pleasant entertaining conversations. The meeting I most enjoyed was when he invited us to his house so we could meet his wife and lovely kids. I felt at home when we were there, and fell in love with his entire family.
As the mentor program progressed I noticed an enormous change within the people in my group. Everyone was more comfortable talking to one another and we became closer and even stablished firendships. I would recommend my mentor to anyone. And I will most definitley be stayuing in touch with him in the future.

Mentor Blog #2 Spring Semester 2009

1.  Last Thursday evening our mentor took us our for Italian food and Gelato.  While we were enjoying our meal he talked to us about the importance of communicating well in business.  My mentor taught us many important things during dinner.  One of the things that we learned from him was that when we wanted to be remembered and if we wanted to standout from the rest we should go about writing a personal handwritten letter.  He explained to us that handwritten letters transmit a positive message because the receiver feels more important and it gives your message a much more personal and professional meaning that will cause a much more lasting and important impression than that of an electronically written message.  He also encouraged us to improve on our resume as soon as we can by acquiring experience in the summer by interning, even if it was for free, at any company or workplace where we had the opportunity.  The best way to do this was by getting in contact and asking our parents, close family, friends of family and friends parents for any available opportunity they could help us with.   

2.  One job that I have learned about that I might enjoy would be working at my friend's father's marketing and advertisement company.  I think this would be a very interesting experience to learn about how a professional work environment functions and it would also give me a better understanding of the real business way.  It is also a great opportunity to have work experience for the future.  

3.  One thing that I wish to experience during Mardi Gras is to learn about and see the different parades and also learn more about the historical background on Mardi Gras in New Orleans rather than what the word on the street is.  I want to avoid the absurd drunkenness and  that I have heard about and any troublesome encounters with the law.  

4. Mardi Gras is important in New Orleans not only because of the historical background that reveals the roots in the start of the Catholic season of lent, but because it also helps business and commerce in the city.  Because this carnival in one of the most widely known in the world thousands of people come to visit and it is  a time where truism of the city grows, and this truism raises revenue and profits for most, if not all of the business in Louisiana, especially in New Orleans.    

Mentor Networking Event

For our business class on Thursday, January 15, we had our first Executive Mentor Group Program meeting. The goal of this particular event was to meet five different business professionals and make a business connection with each of them. The first person I met was Allison L. Plaisance who is an business assurance and advisor for Ernst & Young, a company that is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. This company and all of its employees such as Allison, help people retain the confidence of investors, manage risk, and achieve their potential. The second person I met was Dr. William B. Locander, who is the Dean of the College of Business here at Loyola University New Orleans. It was fun talking to him because he was very charming and I found it useful and important to have met the Dean of the program I am enrolled in this University. After meeting the Dean, I also met another member of the Loyola family, Cyril Lee Mundell. Mr. Mundell is the Associate Professor of Decision Science. The next person I met was one who's job I like the most, H. Jude Boudreaux. Boudreaux is the Director of Financial Planning at Bellingrath. His role in the company is to work with businesses, families and foundations to meet their financial goals as well as to alleviate any unnecessary risk. The last person I met at this event was Mason G. Couvillon. Unlike the other people I met, Couvillon has his own company alongside another person, Dardis Couvillon & Associates. This company helps individuals, families and businesses by providing financial services as well as insurance.

On Wednesday, before the networking event we met in the Audubon Room and guest speaker Roberta Kaskell, Director of the Career Development Center gave us a lecture in order to instruct us on how to network. The day of the event we were to apply the different networking tips and techniques learned. One thing I did well during the networking event was walking with a warm smile and confident stride as well as making eye contact around the room and especially with the people I was talking to. since this was my first networking event there are some things that I need to work on and improve. One of the things I should work on is asking questions in order to break the ice and get to know the other person.

A business professional that I would like to emulate is Lilian Bettencourt, Daughter of L'Oreal founder Eugene Schueller. Bettencourt succeeds when it comes to controlling stake in the cosmetics giant, which she has held for more than four decades. Her Bettencourt Schueller Foundation supports medical, cultural and humanitarian endeavors in France and developing countries.


A website that I found useful for people who want to learn about and improve networking skills is one that provides 12 Tips for Successful Business Networking for shy people.