Central to the educational experience at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics is a commitment to experiential and personalized learning opportunities through mentor-focused relationships. Mentees gain from the knowledge and experience of industry veterans, many of whom are alumni, while mentors discover high-quality talent for corporate openings. Oftentimes, professional friendships are developed that last years.
Recently, entrepreneurship student Iryss Bustamante benefited from the expertise and insights of two-time Titan alum Joe Felz ’82, ’87 (B.A., M.A. sociology), an administrator for the city of Fullerton. The experience was part of the Entrepreneurial Leadership course at Cal State Fullerton, which connects entrepreneurship-focused students with real-world client projects. Felz began mentoring students in this course in 2017, following an invitation from Atul Teckchandani, professor of management.
“Being a mentor is a very rewarding experience. I have found the students engaged and, with most of the students being seniors, they are anxious to take on a real-world project to gain valuable experience,” said Felz. “I am always impressed that they are very well prepared in writing skills, use of technology and teamwork concepts, and are highly motivated to apply what they have learned to meet client needs.”
While Bustamante and Felz worked together, the students in the course provided consulting services to the Department of Special Education in CSUF’s College of Education. Bustamante and the other students rose to the challenge, demonstrating maturity, critical thinking, calmness and a sense of humor.
“I saw her combine her business management skills, creativity and team approach, all traits that I’m sure have led to her early success in the workforce,” said Felz.
Read more in CSUF Business News.