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PLU Business Department
Building Bridges

Alumni: helping build the future

Obviously in business, networking is a vital tool for students to get advice, as well as internships and jobs. The School of Business has continued to keep this relationship between current students and alumni strong.

Since 1987, School of Business alumni and students have supported PLUS Business, one of the strongest alumni organizations at PLU. Over the years, PLUS Business has continued to provide a vital link between alumni and current business students, faculty and staff. Alumni meet and renew ties with other business Lutes, and students have the opportunity to meet our graduates. Its Career Mentorship Program connects inquiring business majors with alumni in various careers and industries. All PLUS Business membership donations go into the program, and support includes the $2,000 scholarship awarded to an outstanding business student. Additional “supporting member” donations have sponsored the refurbishment of the PLUS Business enhanced classroom, the purchase of technology equipment, and the development of a website on the Internet.

The School of Business recently asked even more of their dedicated alumni by requesting their participation in a comprehensive survey. More than 1,100 alums have already answered Dean Bell’s request to “tell it like it is,” and continue to do so on the School’s website (www.plu.edu/ ~busa/survey.html). The School is pleased with the results so far: of international graduates, 84 percent gave high marks to the impact of their PLU education as preparation for their current job; 71 percent of all alums gave high marks to the overall value of their education.

“Our alumni are enthusiastically loyal to the school,” Bell said. “We are indebted to all who took the time to share their responses with us.”

Bell also notes the greatest value for the future is the criticism, rather than the praise. By far the largest number of suggestions have been related to the need for PLU and the School of Business to utilize higher levels of technology in the curriculum and for student use. Luckily for the School of Business, they have made major strides in this area with the design of a new learning and technology building, which will house the entire School of Business along with Math & Computer Science. It scheduled to open by 2003.