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Bankers Day exposes students to the broad array of possibilities for their major track.

For freshmen in Intro to Business (BUS 100), Bankers Day is the culmination of the spring semester. In many ways, it鈥檚 designed to be a beginning.

The annual event is a rite of passage for business students at La 91直播 as the course builds toward a final group presentation of a venture that students have devised, planned, and then pitched to alumni 鈥淪hark Tank鈥�-style.

As an introduction to their studies, Bankers Day exposes students to the broad array of possibilities for their major track. It provides a taste of professional experience and offers options for a possible passion.

鈥淭he BUS 100 course is an exemplar of interdisciplinary business education,鈥� Michael Moll, interim dean of the School of Business, said. 鈥淚t encompasses a number of disciplines, including marketing, finance, accounting, management, entrepreneurship, operations鈥攊t鈥檚 every piece that falls under the overarching umbrella of business. It鈥檚 the perfect setup for the rest of the students鈥� college careers.鈥�

Bankers Day celebrated its 22nd installment in the spring of 2024. Teams collaborate to pitch an original product or business. Classwork guides them through eight distinct aspects, and students present about the various steps to peers as the semester proceeds.

In April, they put all the pieces together to meet alumni and other members of the business community鈥攖he Bankers鈥攚ho offer feedback and expertise.

Sometimes, that leads to business deals or groups that turn their project into reality. Often, it fosters connections that students will return to down the line for internships, mentorship, or job opportunities. Always, it shows students what the world of business looks like, the kinds of questions that potential funders or employers will ask, and the standards that are expected.

鈥淭he idea really is to integrate all of the different business functions in the course,鈥� Kristin Wentzel, Ph.D., chair of the Accounting Department, said. 鈥淢ost of our students come in, and even if they declare a major, they鈥檙e not really sure if that鈥檚 the major they want. Through this one course, they can see all of the different pieces of running a business.鈥�

Bankers Day asks a lot from students. It forces them to learn how to work in teams, to delegate, and to strengthen interpersonal communication. The process of putting on business attire and networking are rare for freshmen, and it introduces them to resources such as the Career Center and Career Closet early on. The work broadens their understanding of what a business degree can do, focusing their studies for their next three years as they look for internships, co-op placements, or post-graduate positions.

For the School of Business, Bankers Day engages alumni, drawing them back to campus and keeping them involved and connected with the next generation of students. It also plants the seed for current students to reciprocate by serving as future Bankers.

The project is an immersive, uniting experience between students and alumni, a curricular tentpole that many look back on as formative in their undergraduate studies.

鈥淭he biggest feedback we hear from some of the alumni is, 鈥橧 don鈥檛 know if I could have done this at their age,鈥欌�� Wentzel said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty impressive. I think it鈥檚 a confidence builder. I tell all the students on the first day that you鈥檙e going to look back at this, and you鈥檙e going to be so impressed that you did all of this in your first year.鈥�

鈥擬atthew De George