How The Beach builds business students' confidence, readiness for the workplace
Cal State Long Beach was where Jessica Pugh ‘10, now an executive for Google, learned she could be both self-reliant and part of a culture where people strengthen each other.
The Student Center for Professional Development (SCPD), a College of Business resource connecting students to mentoring and other services, showed Pugh how she can be part of a robust support system.
“College was really about community and learning through other people,” Pugh said. “It impressed on me how important it was to me to be collaborative, to learn from others and to share what you’ve learned.”
Pugh focused on marketing at The Beach and is now global program manager at Google’s offices in Playa Vista. In addition to academics and SCPD, known as the Mentoring Business Program during her enrollment, Pugh was a member of the Black Business Student Association and served in student government as Secretary of Cultural Diversity.
SCPD offers coaching, mentoring and networking opportunities helping undergraduates develop a professional mentality. Founded in 1985 as the Minority Business Program, SCPD is a resource for business students of all backgrounds.
“As a former student at CSULB and one of the original peer mentors of what was then known as the Minority Business Program, I recently had the opportunity to visit the university and witness the incredible progress that SCPD has made,” said donor Earl Jordan ‘89, president and CEO of Earl Jordan Insurance Agency, Inc. “I am truly impressed by the positive impact the organization has had on students. ... I am proud to contribute to the hard work of everyone involved with SCPD and am excited to be part of this important organization.”
SCPD takes a multi-pronged approach to augmenting classroom studies with life lessons. Its Business Professional Certificate centers on workshops on such topics as job search strategies, adjusting to professional life and workplace norms.
Mentoring is available to upper-level students. The Junior Mentoring Program pairs students with young professionals and the Corporate Mentoring Program, for senior-level students, fosters connections with mid- to senior-level professionals and retired business leaders.
Pugh’s mentors helped her to be an effective collaborator and communicator; to become more polished and confident, and to envision high-level accomplishment.
“It helped me to redefine: What does it mean to be successful?” Pugh said.
SCPD’s Community Scholars program lets students themselves be mentors to Long Beach Unified School District high school mentees. Also, the Corporate Mentor Program kicks off with a three-day retreat at Big Bear Valley where they form teams and develop ideas to create and market a new company.
“Having to do this in less than 24 hours really shows these students that they are far more capable than they are aware,” said Shayleen Fay, director of SCPD and Internships for the College of Business.
About 60% of students participating in SCPD are first-generation. That was the case for Lance Santiago ‘19, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and transferred from Santa Monica College. Santiago has private sector experience as global supply chain program manager for Northrup Grumman, and he said SCPD helped him to develop his resume, negotiate, network and demonstrate his value.
“I knew that I had the experience from the Marine Corps,” he said. “I knew that I would have the academic knowledge ... but I wasn’t really sure how to eventually combine the two in a manner that I could communicate to employers.”
Santiago pointed to self-advocacy as a key takeaway from his time with SCPD. He recalled how one of his mentors relayed the importance of being quick to volunteer for new opportunities. He and Pugh remain connected to SCPD, both serve as mentors themselves, and Santiago is also a member of its advisory board.
Fourth-year business student Becky Huang, also a first-generation student, affirmed that SCPD has helped to prepare her for post-college life. Huang credits the center for its mentoring services and assistance with helping her to build emotional intelligence, access networking opportunities, understand career pathways in her chosen field, all of which helped her to line up work with a Big Four accounting firm.
Business students who are still in their first and second years at CSULB would be well-served by getting involved with SCPD, Huang said.
"I highly, highly recommend to do all the programs,” she said. “It can give you so many perspectives. It can give you so many connections.”
