College of Business establishes Young Professionals Board
June 22, 2022 | by Elizabeth Newman
College of Business administrators and alumni have partnered to establish the Lamar University College of Business Young Professionals Board. The board was formed in the fall of 2021 when Dr. Dan French, dean of the college, and Dr. Toni Mulvaney, associate dean, realized a need for more recent alumni to remain engaged with the college. Mulvaney worked to reach out to a number of alumni and in a matter of weeks, the initial board was formed. The purpose of the board is to cultivate a network of professionals who are engaged in giving back and connecting with the college community for many years to come. The board will work with college leaders to communicate the needs of recent alumni, volunteer and participate in activities around the LU campus, and mentor the next generation of business leaders who are preparing to enter the professional world.
"We hope to facilitate and develop relationships between current Lamar University College of Business students and recent graduates,” said Marc Lerma ’20, current president of the board. “The board will offer mentorship to current students to help them make a seamless transition from school into the professional world. By building a strong alumni presence and actively participating in the networking, development and mentorship of current students, the board will help develop the next generation of Lamar University College of Business professionals."
The board is in the early stages of establishing its programs but has already begun to implement a mentorship program. “We have developed a mentorship program from the ground up that will help students by pairing them up with a board member who is in the early to mid-stage of their career. This is relevant for students as they look to start their careers,” Lerma said. “The program covers a broad range of topics from resumes and LinkedIn to discussing interviews and negotiating and handling conflict.”
To initiate the program, the YPB partnered with members of the college’s Student Advisory Council and College of Business students were paired with a mentee based on an initial application process and interview in order to help students match with a mentor that could give the most impact. “Seeing the students succeed is the most exciting and rewarding part for me. Lamar University is a place for me with so many memories. Memories of growing, stretching, meeting new people, learning new ideas, and having fun. To contribute and serve my alma mater, and to be a part of the journey for Lamar University students is a true honor,” said Lance Taylor ’20, ‘21, YPB member and mentor.
Business students can look forward to more mentorship opportunities as well as other YPB events in the fall 2022 semester. Along with the mentorship program, the board is setting plans to host networking events, speaking engagements, workshops and more. “The future is incredibly bright and we are very optimistic for what is to come. We plan to continue growing and expanding our reach by having a diverse board with folks from all professional backgrounds, from accounting and finance, to management, marketing, MIS and more. Since we are still in the early innings of our growth we are doing a lot of strategy and planning work, which we know will pay off down the road. Our goal of creating a strong recent alumni base will be great for the students, the university and the alumni,” said Lerma.
"We hope to facilitate and develop relationships between current Lamar University College of Business students and recent graduates,” said Marc Lerma ’20, current president of the board. “The board will offer mentorship to current students to help them make a seamless transition from school into the professional world. By building a strong alumni presence and actively participating in the networking, development and mentorship of current students, the board will help develop the next generation of Lamar University College of Business professionals."
The board is in the early stages of establishing its programs but has already begun to implement a mentorship program. “We have developed a mentorship program from the ground up that will help students by pairing them up with a board member who is in the early to mid-stage of their career. This is relevant for students as they look to start their careers,” Lerma said. “The program covers a broad range of topics from resumes and LinkedIn to discussing interviews and negotiating and handling conflict.”
To initiate the program, the YPB partnered with members of the college’s Student Advisory Council and College of Business students were paired with a mentee based on an initial application process and interview in order to help students match with a mentor that could give the most impact. “Seeing the students succeed is the most exciting and rewarding part for me. Lamar University is a place for me with so many memories. Memories of growing, stretching, meeting new people, learning new ideas, and having fun. To contribute and serve my alma mater, and to be a part of the journey for Lamar University students is a true honor,” said Lance Taylor ’20, ‘21, YPB member and mentor.
Business students can look forward to more mentorship opportunities as well as other YPB events in the fall 2022 semester. Along with the mentorship program, the board is setting plans to host networking events, speaking engagements, workshops and more. “The future is incredibly bright and we are very optimistic for what is to come. We plan to continue growing and expanding our reach by having a diverse board with folks from all professional backgrounds, from accounting and finance, to management, marketing, MIS and more. Since we are still in the early innings of our growth we are doing a lot of strategy and planning work, which we know will pay off down the road. Our goal of creating a strong recent alumni base will be great for the students, the university and the alumni,” said Lerma.
Founding members of the College of Business Professionals Board
Marc Lerma ’20
Marc studied finance and economics at Lamar University and graduated magna cum laude in 2020. After graduation, Marc began his career with Accenture on their corporate development team. After Accenture, he joined a middle-market investment bank where he currently works as an investment banking analyst. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf, fishing and exploring new restaurants in the Houston area.
Eric Spaulding ’17
Eric graduated summa cum laude from Lamar in 2017 with a BBA in marketing. He then received an MBA in leadership from Lamar in 2018. During his time at Lamar, Eric was awarded the Texas Business Hall of Fame Scholarship. After receiving his MBA, Eric attended and graduated from The University of Texas School of Law, where he studied Negotiation and Contract Law. Eric passed the 2021 Texas Bar Exam and is now a licensed attorney in Texas. He currently works for Goldman Sachs as a legal negotiator in the Dallas office.
Monica Boggan ’15
Monica studied management information systems and accounting at Lamar University and graduated cum laude with two BBAs in 2015. After graduation, she continued her career with Deloitte in a financial statement external audit role and graduated with a Lamar MBA in 2017. After her time in professional services, she joined a renewable energy company where she currently works in critical infrastructure cybersecurity. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling the world, and exploring new sights in and around Houston, Texas.
Madison Marino ’19
Madison studied finance and economics at Lamar University and graduated summa cum laude in 2019. Following graduation, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she began interning for U.S. Congressman Brian Babin. Shortly after her internship, she began working full-time for the congressman and joined his legislative team as a legislative correspondent. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new museums and trying different cuisines in DC
Lance Taylor ’20
Lance graduated in 2020 with a master's degree in accounting from LU where he previously earned his undergraduate degree in business administration as a double major in accounting and finance. Lance has experience as an entrepreneur and in corporate America. He enjoys networking with other ambitious professionals, as well as in or with small businesses. Lance will soon begin his position as a financial analyst with Walmart Inc. at their corporate headquarters.
Laura Armatys ’17
Laura graduated in 2017 with a BBA in marketing from Lamar University while playing for the Lamar Women's Soccer Team. Since 2017, she has utilized her marketing degree in the legal and construction fields. She is the marketing and communications director for Triumph Church in the Sugar Land / Stafford area of Houston where she oversees all communications and advertising for the church campus along with event planning throughout the year. She and her husband live in the Richmond area.
Emily Carl ’17
Emily studied marketing at Lamar University and graduated in December 2017. After graduation, she began a marketing career in financial services and currently works as a marketing project coordinator at Mobiloil Credit Union where she does graphic design, strategic marketing and communications. In her free time, she loves to travel as often as possible, spend time with family, and network with local professionals to promote things to do in Beaumont and the surrounding area.
Jeremy Allen ’16
Jeremy graduated from Lamar University with a BBA in management information systems in 2016 and an MBA in 2017. He also obtained International Honors Certificates from USC Marshall School of Business and UCLA Anderson School of Management in 2017. Jeremy now lives in Washington, D.C., and serves on the staff of U.S. House of Representative Member and U.S. House-Senate Joint Economic Committee Chairman Don Beyer, Jr. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Myriam, and newborn son.