School of Business Provides Networking Opportunities for Students
Mississippi College's professional networking event serves as a bridge between students and business opportunities.
Mississippi College hosted Meet the Firms on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Upperclassmen and graduate students filled Alumni Hall to engage with potential new employers. The annual event provided opportunities for MC's business students to make connections and find internships with local businesses. Meet the Firms was sponsored by the School of Business, the Accounting Society, and the Career Services department.
Although the event was originally intended for accounting majors, the School of Business broadened its audience this year, welcoming all business majors. Over thirty reputable businesses were represented this year, including Horne, FORVIS, C Spire, and Enterprise Holdings.
“The primary goal is to showcase the Mississippi College School of Business students to our local business community,” said Accounting Society sponsor Dr. Taylor Corso, Esq.
According to Corso, the event mutually benefited Mississippi College, local businesses, and the students themselves. “Networking events such as Meet the Firms provide our local businesses a pipeline of talent and our students a pathway forward to their employment.”
Tammy Phillips, Regional Chief Administration Officer of Community Bank, praised Meet the Firms for its first-rate talent pool.
“Community Bank has historically found outstanding candidates to include in our internship and management training programs at MC,” said Phillips. “Therefore, time spent at MC is well worth our efforts on campus. Community Bank finds this event to be helpful by bringing MC’s top accounting and finance students together for this specialized career fair.”
Internships with one of this year’s Meet the Firms participants can greatly strengthen a student’s resume and professional skills, according to Stone Caver, Accounting Supervisor with Enterprise Holdings.
“[Enterprise’s management trainee internship] offers the opportunity of learning how to operate a successful business while learning qualities such as leadership, relationship building, customer service & sales,” said Caver.
Phillips emphasized that internships can also allow participants to engage with and learn about their desired fields.
“Participating in our internship program not only gives career choice direction by allowing the student to see exactly what a day is like for those working in specific areas of interest, but allows our company an opportunity to get to know the students and the students the opportunity to learn more about our company,” said Phillips.
Although Meet the Firms has been successful for a long time, the School of Business made it more advantageous to general business students this year.
“While historically [Meet the Firms] has been primarily focused on [accounting] firms, in recent years we have expanded the event to include other types of organizations, such as banks, investment firms, insurance agencies, and government agencies,” said Corso. “The School of Business hopes to attract accounting, finance, and general business majors to begin networking to our local and state businesses.”
New potential employers to Meet the Firms included federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Mississippi Department of Revenue.
The expanded diversity of participating businesses created a more dynamic networking environment, allowing students with a wide range of interests and career goals to explore various opportunities. This inclusive approach not only benefited business students but also enriched the event's value for local businesses and agencies seeking fresh talent.
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