All Heider College of Business classes were canceled on Nov. 13 to allow students to attend the 12th annual Business Symposium at the CenturyLink Center.
The Creighton Business Symposium is the largest student-run business conference in the country, according to the Creighton Heider College of Business webpage.
Sixteen junior and senior Creighton students had spent the last 10 months preparing for this event. According to the program handed out at the symposium, more than $50,000 in corporate sponsorship was raised to make the event possible.
The goal of the Business Symposium was to bring Creighton students and executives together to discuss current issues and trends in the modern world of business.
“This year’s symposium was a little bit different from previous years because I think the committee planning the event saw that the students wanted more panels that they were interested in,” said Heider College of Business junior Bethany Nelson. Nelson has attended the Business Symposium for the past two years as well.
Some of the breakout sessions this year included “Breaking Into Business: Opportunities for Arts and Sciences Majors, “The Business of Entertaining: Understanding the Work that Helps you Relax” and “Casinos and Their Effect on Communities.”
In addition to hosting more than 40 executive panelists, the Business Symposium also had two keynote speakers, both graduates of Creighton.
The morning keynote speaker, Tom Copeman, is now the Vice President of Business Development at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona.
Copeman spoke on ideals, essential traits for success and traits for high performing teams in business.
“Essentially, always be looking for opportunities that will bring you value that you will enjoy or grow through, whether that be people, places or work,” senior Heider College of Business student Mitchell Hagen said in reflection on Copeman’s keynote speech.
Tom Weir, vice president and treasurer of American Airlines Group, Inc., was the luncheon keynote speaker. Weir earned a Master of Business Administration degree and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Creighton.
The Business Symposium was also geared toward developing networking relationships between students and professionals in addition to establishing internships and full-time opportunities for Creighton students.
“The most important information I learned at the Business Symposium is that it is never too early to start looking for internships,” said Heider College of Business sophomore Hayley Griffin. “Those who connect with business professionals are more likely to get an internship that they truly enjoy.”