2018 Alumni Spotlight: See the world through a global lens
The tenth annual Global Opportunities Conference, held on April 13th, 2018, featured Appalachian State alumni who shared their perspectives on the importance of a global mindset to the audience of students, faculty and local community members as well as students from Ashe County High School. Walker College of Business alumni speakers, Tyler Norwood ‘12, Matt Cottrell ‘01, Mehdy Ghannad ‘99, and Sarah Freed ‘09 had the unique opportunity to discuss how international experiences during their undergraduate years influenced their career paths.
Tyler Norwood, a general partner at Antler Innovations, joined the conference via video conference from Singapore, sharing lessons he learned throughout his international career and giving attendees advice he wish he knew before graduating. Senior Regional Director for Africa with Operation Christmas Child at Samaritan’s Purse, Matt Cottrell, discussed the importance of deepening one’s roots when pursuing an international career, sharing personal stories from his field experience. Mehdy Ghannad, owner and operator of Free Road Entertainment, related his own fortuitous career path in international media and production and how following his passion for travel has opened doors to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Sarah Freed, Manager of Community Impact for Uber Technologies, discussed the importance of purpose and how one can make a global impact through taking the risks necessary to follow your own path.
During the luncheon panel, Sam Trexler ‘15, owner and pilot of Precision Aviation, LLC joined the morning speakers to discuss the importance of a global mindset for business leaders. The panel format allowed audience members the opportunity to interact with the speakers more directly and ask questions ranging from their motivation to pursue their careers to the most intimidating moments experienced while abroad.
The stories and advice shared had an impact on many conference attendees. "Some things that especially stood out to me were the varied ways the alumni of Appalachian State University are impacting our world," said Ada Jones, student at Ashe County High School. "The things they have accomplished inspire me to try and change the world."
Visit the photo gallery to view images from this year's event. If you are interested in supporting international opportunities for Walker College of Business students, contact Will Sears at searswill@appstate.edu. Next year’s event is tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 5th. Visit the website closer to the date for more details.
This event is hosted by the Walker College of Business with additional support from James E. Holshouser Ethics.
