Stories

The Leavey School of Business is home to many different student organizations, each with its  own mission. Two organizations, the Latino Business Student Association (LBSA) and the Leavey Black Business Association (LBBA), have particularly unique purposes. Since two ACE juniors  hold leadership positions in each of these organizations, we asked them about their experiences.

Jessica Ramirez, a Marketing major, is the Vice President of the Latino Business Student Association. She was part of the board that revamped LBSA last year after it had been inactive for many years. The organization’s mission is “to provide professional development for Latino students of SCU through workshops, info sessions, and other career building opportunities.” In addition, they seek to provide the resources that our community may need so that they can be more successful in their job search and their careers once they leave SCU. Jessica says that her favorite part of being in LBSA is the feeling of community and purpose. Not only is she able to build community with other Latino students, but she is also able provide them with real life skills and tools that will benefit them in their professional careers. Ultimately, Jessica feels like her work in LBSA is truly making a difference. Students who are interested in LBSA can attend their meetings on even week Wednesdays at 7:00 PM in O’Connor 210. They will also be having a company tour sometime during the first few weeks of spring quarter, with more details to follow. If you are interested in following LBSA on social media, they have a Facebook page, “LBSA SCU,” and an Instagram profile, @lbsa_scu.

Austin Gray, a Finance major, is the Co-Founder and Co-President of the Leavey Black Business Association. LBBA’s mission is “to support African American/Black students and other underrepresented groups with their business affiliated aspirations through professional exposure, professional development opportunities, and community involvement.” Austin co-founded the organization during his first year at SCU after recognizing that companies in Silicon Valley generally have very few black employees; he believed that he could help companies recruit and retain diverse talent. After two years in LBBA, Austin says that his favorite aspect of the organization is the opportunity to learn about new businesses and job opportunities. In addition, he enjoys hearing about the experiences of professionals and receiving any advice about being an underrepresented minority in Silicon Valley. Austin is especially proud of the fact that, although the organization is relatively new, it has had tremendous success in helping students with internship and full-time placements. LBBA alumni have received job offers from well-known companies such as Facebook, Target, and General Mills. Anyone who is interested in LBBA is free to join, and the best way to get involved is to email Austin at agray@scu.edu to be added to the mailing list.

LBSA and LBBA will also be putting on a joint professional development workshop next quarter, so be sure to look out for that. Thanks to Jessica and Austin for their contributions; we are proud of their extracurricular accomplishments!