Alumni share advice on transitioning from student to professional at Faith & Justice series

California Baptist University alumni (from left): Phillip Cothran (’13, ’14), Bethany Walden (’09, ’12), Jon O’Neill (’08) and Danika Wignall (’13) serve as a panel for the Faith & Justice series at CBU on Nov. 1.

Riverside, Calif. (Nov. 2, 2017) — Several California Baptist University alumni answered questions and offered key life lessons on their transitions from college student to the professional realm at the Faith & Justice series on Nov. 1.

The seminar titled, “10 things I wish I knew before leaving CBU,” was hosted by the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business at CBU.

Bethany Walden (‘09,’12), a program manager at Wells Fargo, said she regretted not developing an accurate budget sooner in life.

“The first step in managing a budget is making one,” said Walden, who graduated from CBU with a bachelor’s in marketing and an MBA. “A lot of times people will make a budget and say, ‘I only spend $10 on food in one week,’ when actually you spend $250 per week. Having a realistic budget is super important.”

Walden also encouraged students to monitor their credit scores. Walden said in her professional industry, organizations run credit checks on prospective employees, and the results can affect whether or not you are offered a position.

Phillip Cothran (‘13, ’14), who is an agency owner for Goosehead Insurance, said he had to learn to sell himself.

“You need to learn how to navigate the business world and market yourself in the best possible way,” said Cothran, a bachelor of business and MBA graduate of CBU.

Cothran said that students should not take rejection personally. Navigate toward the open doors, he added.

Jon O’Neill (’08), senior director of enrollment and analytics at Concordia University Irvine, said he has learned to let his passions guide his career decisions.

“Let your passion dictate your life, not money,” said O’Neill, who obtained a bachelor’s of business degree from CBU and an MBA from Concordia University Irvine. “God will continue to mold and change your passions; pray and thank God wherever you find yourself.”

Dr. Andrea Scott, dean of the School of Business at CBU, sees many positives in hosting a Faith & Justice series.

“We long for students to embrace their careers in business as a calling from the Lord. God is at work all over the world and commerce is no exception,” Scott said. “We also hope that they will glean practical tips and encouragement regarding transitioning from school and, of course, that they will use these events to work on their networking skills as all alumni are invited to attend.”