April 2004

In this issue:

From the Editor's Desk

By Andy McCleaf

New Mentor Program Enhancing Business Curriculum

By Andy McCleaf

Where are they now?

By Max Ballard CGPS '03

Career Decisions at The Citadel

By Brent Stewart

From the Editor's Desk

By Andy McCleaf

The Citadel's Business Newsletter is entering its second year as an informative guide to The Citadel's business alumni regarding all the events taking place at your alma mater, and the people behind them. We hoisted this newsletter off the ground and with your input, will continue to bring you interesting news of your business school. I would like to take a moment to thank Jason Lambert for serving as the CBN's inaugural Executive Editor during the first year. Jason got the ball rolling with the CBN. And, like many men with initiative, has created new and better things for himself including a new job and a new addition to his family. So all of us at the CBN wish Jason well and hope he might occasionally lend his creative influence.

As The Citadel's Business Newsletter's new Executive Editor, I hope to follow in Jason's path, as well as carry on the mission of the newsletter forged by Dean Walker. Being a former contributing editor, it is my goal to evolve the newsletter, keep it interesting, pertinent, and informative.

This edition's theme, through no conscious effort, illustrates part of the career boost available to students in the business school today; part of its competitive advantage over similar, larger business schools. And, in upcoming editions, we will continue to document the activities at your business school as it continues to evolve, as well as some of the impressive people behind it.

New Mentor Program Enhancing Business Curriculum

By Andy McCleaf

An exciting new buzz phrase circulating around The Citadel's business school is Mentors Program. Now in its second year, the Mentors Program is in high gear and picking up steam. The mentoring program was set up to complement The Citadel's job placement service. It allows local executives and retired business all-stars to supplement students with bold career planning. Additionally, executives are asked to share some of their knowledge, visions, as well as some of their growing pains with their eager students. Think about the possibilities.

The strength of the Mentors Program comes from its professionals' wide offering of industries and backgrounds. Students can be matched with a mentor's experience in industries from international operations to banking, chemicals, communications, finance advertising, and much more. Positions held by some mentors include corporate Presidents, Vice Presidents, CFO's, Board of Director Chairpersons, division Presidents and Chairmen, with experiences in great companies such as Xerox, Corning, Sears, AT&T, Eastman Kodak and Dupont. Some are native to South Carolina or even Citadel graduates. Others are among the former Fortune 500 executives retiring or residing in Charleston and its nearby coastal communities. And their networks are vast!

The vision for the Mentors Program came from Citadel Business School Law Professor Bruce Strauch. Familiar with the wealth of retired business executives populating the Lowcountry, Professor Strauch, envisioned the many possibilities. He saw the mentoring as a way to enhance business education experiences, which is often available only at larger business schools. It allows students, who previously relied solely on instructions of their teachers to gain pertinent insight into their preferred career, to be able to expand their contacts, education, and real-life business acumen.

The real-life advice to the cadets and working business students is invaluable. Tony Aeppli, a CGPS student and shipping terminal manager, is one student who benefited from his mentor experience. He notes, "It's an incredible experience to interact with people who think boldly and act boldly." Could your early career been enhanced by some high-level experiences like this?

The mentor roster is currently includes over 40 active and retired executives, with even more going through a Citadel mentor briefing. Mentors are usually assigned one or two students and are asked to meet with them at least four times a semester. Additional correspondence takes place through calls and email. Consequently, some mentors are finding out that The Citadel offers some exceptional talent as well. Where else would a recruiter look to find outstanding business graduates, fortified with large doses of ethics and leadership? It is a win-win situation. Again, the networking possibilities are immense.

If you would want to find out more about The Citadel's Mentor Program, or become a part of it, contact Lonnie Rewis, the Program Coordinator and Assistant to the Dean at lonnie.rewis@citadel.edu.

Where are they now?

By Max Ballard CGPS '03

For those who don't know Lonnie Carter, he was Senior Vice President of Corporate Planning and Bulk Power at Santee Cooper (South Carolina's state-owned electric water utility). Lonnie directs all retail and wholesale customer service, wholesale power trading, natural gas purchasing, in addition to risk control, corporate planning, pricing and marketing. He just recently was made CEO of Santee Cooper.

Lonnie received both his BSBA and MBA from The Citadel, sits on the Horry County Industrial Council, is chairman of Roper Berkeley Medical Center Advisory Board, chairs the Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery Council, is Vice-Chairman of the CareAlliance Foundation and an active participant in The Citadel Mentor Program. The last category of mentorship is where my experience with Lonnie Carter was chartered.

Lonnie and I met in a T-Bonz restaurant in Mt. Pleasant one day in the fall of 2002. After hearing about his background (which he understated and abbreviated) I told him my story. Lonnie actively listened, gave feedback during our conversation and made me feel that he was genuinely interested in what I had to say.

This man, who I had just met, made me feel more confident about myself and my career abilities after a one-hour luncheon than the person I had worked for the past three years. Lonnie asked questions about my career path, my interests and desires and shared his personal experience and knowledge on the subjects at hand. He genuinely offered help to a total stranger he just had lunch with. That defines the type of character a true leader embodies.

What I gleaned from having Lonnie as my mentor was priceless. It wasn't the visits to Santee Cooper, learning how the power industry operates. It wasn't the lunches we shared or guest passes to local events he offered without obligation. It was being able to observe how a true leader operates and conducts himself, not just when people are observing, but as a way of living- a leader by example. I encourage other leaders to entertain the challenge of becoming a mentor and making a difference in the future of our students.

Career Decisions at The Citadel

By Brent Stewart

The years a young person spends in college are a time of exploration. The Citadel Career Center is helping to increase the focus and direction of that exploration. We are working to further The Citadel's excellent reputation among employers by emphasizing superior decision-making skills for students, especially in decisions regarding career direction and preparation.

This fall semester, via the very successful Citadel 101 course, each incoming cadet was introduced to the FOCUS Career Evaluation Program. This program has already helped many cadets and CGPS students determine the career areas and majors of best fit for them. This program is now available online for every student. The Citadel seeks a leadership role among colleges in helping students make informed, well-reasoned career-related decisions.

While increasingly emphasizing career development for underclassmen, The Citadel Career Center continues to provide on-campus interviewing opportunities for upcoming graduates. A recovering economy still presents a challenging job market for new college graduates across the country, but the number of recruiters participating in the annual Citadel Career Fair continues to be large, thanks to the strong reputation of Citadel graduates. In addition to the annual Citadel Career Fair, we have recently added a large spring career fair, FutureQuest (in conjunction with Charleston Southern University and the College of Charleston) which presents additional employment opportunities.

Many colleges support graduates in career-related activities for only one year after graduation. At The Citadel, we work to assist alumni seeking to change positions or to relocate far beyond one year. While the primary focus must be on preparing upcoming graduates to enter the job market (and increasingly helping underclassmen properly plan and prepare to do so), we are seeking ways to, at the same time, help the large number of alumni who seek employment assistance.

Many Citadel graduates would like to live and work in the Charleston area upon graduation. To help in this, we are partnering with www.charlestonjobmarket.com, an affiliate of the Charleston Regional Business Journal, to provide a website for Citadel students and alumni to post resumes and to review advertised Charleston-area positions. For information, please visit www.charlestonjobmarket.com. We also maintain an electronic resume book of alumni who are actively seeking employment, and requesting alumni receive periodic emails of position announcements. To participate in these services, you may email your resume as an MS Word attachment (with your objective stated on the resume) to Career_Services@Citadel.edu with requests to be added to the alumni resume book and to the position description distribution list. Looking ahead, through good and not-so- good economic times, The Citadel will continue to produce what organizations need. Currently, approximately 35% of graduates choose military contracts, 10% go directly to graduate school, and 55% enter the civilian workforce. In each case, academic preparation, leadership experience, teamwork, high levels of endurance, and a strong desire to help others set Citadel graduates apart.

Brent A. Stewart, Director
The Citadel Career Center