Holly Odneal is a Junior Finance major, originally from Palisade, Colorado, who is also pursuing the International Business Certificate. After graduation she “hopes to gain experience in corporate financial positions such as budget analysis, cash management and risk analysis. Through working with strong, forward-looking companies, I hope to gain the skill set that would allow me to own and operate my own business in the hospitality industry, specifically a hotel or restaurant.”
Holly had this to say about the PMP. “For me, the Professional Mentorship Program has been my commitment to connect, network and prepare for after graduation. My mentor, Mark Hedstrom, has provided me with priceless information, helped me with my resume and networking, and most importantly made my career building experience less intimidating. From this program I have found myself more involved with the business school, more aware of maintaining professional relationships and more confident in my abilities to adequately prepare for the future.”
Holly recently interviewed her mentor, Mark Hedstrom, who is the CFO of Colony Capital, LLC.
Holly: How did you decide to join the program?
Mark Hedstrom: I heard about it through my involvement with the board and I thought it’d be a good way to connect with students. Having had three sons recently graduated from or going to school, it seemed like it’d be a great thing for a student to have access to, someone who’s not necessarily a professor or administrator, but someone outside that who they could talk to about ideas and direction. It’s been great to meet some of the students and see what they are thinking.
Holly: How many years have you been a part of the program?
Mark Hedstrom: Three years, and it has been very interesting.
Holly: What have you taken from the experience?
Mark Hedstrom: I think a lot of it is that while the academic world and business world have changed a lot, the concerns of students remain the same. Just like when I was coming out of school, I asked similar questions. How do I best present myself? What should I be doing to make myself the most marketable? How should I go about deciding what part of business I want to go into and how do I pick between the companies that I might be interested in? Those are the type of things we have all had concerns about. Mostly it has been a really good chance to meet people like you and see how things are going. It is an interesting being perceived perspective to see how things are going in the school and see how changes there are by students.
Holly: Why do you continue to participate?
Mark Hedstrom: I just think it’s a really good way to stay connected. I’m connected through the school, through the Dean, with the board and am pretty connected through the athletic department and now through the students, which is the biggest population of constituents on the campus. It is a way to try and help out and give back a little, trying to give advice or a voice in some way.
Holly: Would this be a program you would recommend to your colleagues?
Mark Hedstrom: I have recommended this program to a number of my colleagues, many on the board and other friends who are alumni. I told them that it is a great way to stay connected to the school and to provide some insight that otherwise students wouldn’t have access to.