ALUM-TO-ALUM CAREERCENTER EVENTS STAYCONNECTED ALUMNICOUNCIL NEWS MEMBERBENEFITS

Uday Mukundan '03 M.B.A.

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Which on-campus activities were you involved in as a student?  How did those activities assist you in attaining your career goals?

• I was part of the Graduate Student association. In 2002 was elected to be secretary of the Graduate Student Association.
• The involvement with GSA was very helpful in becoming close with my peers and other graduate students.
• I currently work for Darden Restaurants and a great deal of experience that I received handling different issues and dealing with people has helped me understand the people side of my Job. GSA helped me develop my communication skills, which had been very useful and absolutely necessary in my current position. How to get your peers to buy in and help smoothly execute ideas has helped me in my day to day work life. Different projects that we handled as part of GSA taught valuable project management techniques such as proper management of resources, maximum utilization of available resources, partnering with different student bodies and faculty to accomplish tasks.

Please detail your career accomplishments. How will your career path help you to be successful in the position which you are being nominated for?

• Being a graduate school representative and representing my alma mater(Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School), will be a matter of great pride for me.
• As far as career accomplishments, the most recent is Regional Training Manager for Red Lobster, Region 81.

Being in this position, I partner with the Divisional Training Manager and Divisional Staffing Manager to ensure growth and development of potential crew mates and new recruits.

Hence representing the graduate school would create a direct link between the two institutions.  This will give the students and insight to the Largest Casual dining chain organization in the US. After acquiring RARE Hospitality in October 2007, Darden is poised to be the industry leader. I believe  Johnson and Wales University to be leaders in Hospitality education and their Graduate school programs are highly respected in corporate America.

Darden Restaurants will greatly benefit from partnering with JWU Alumni at both corporate and operational level. Insight for Graduate students and alumni as to where the industry is headed and what the expectations are will definitely help them in landing successful jobs and choosing the right career paths.

Please list what skills and/or qualities you will bring to the council to help take the council to the next level.

•  Being in Minneapolis , it is easy for me to connect with Great corporations like General Mills, Cargill, Carlson and Target, there are several other corporate headquarters like Best Buy, Accenture,  Ameriprise, Summit foods, etc where JWU awareness can be heightened. Partnering with these corporations will definitely help strengthen JWU alumni. Johnson and Wales has established a reputation in hospitality and culinary arts but the industries need to know that we are not far behind in the other fields. Finance, Marketing, Education, Global Business.
• Networking, Training Sessions, Increase awareness about  the Alumni( especially Graduate school), and getting more involvement especially from international students who are a notable percentage of graduate students.
• Help to establish chapters outside the USA hopefully in Asia where the markets are growing at a fast pace.
• I am aware that JWU has already partnered with various industries but JWU alumni partnering and co branding with other industries would create a new venue for exposure and expansion.

What  are your visions/goals for the council over the next two years?

• More participation and involvement from the alumni and graduates.
• Reaching out and creating a presence in the various segments of corporate America.
• Establishing a Global presence by taking advantage of our international alumni.
• Establishing a network for providing assistance especially in today’s world where global travel has become a common job requirement.
• More news letters, Forums and workshops.
• Creating more local chapters.

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