During her time at the School of Business, Nancy Sydnor, BS Marketing ’99, formed lasting friendships among her classmates and instructors. “Starting at Mason in my 40s and further along in my career, I was nervous about fitting in,” she says. “But everyone was so welcoming and helpful. My Mason experience was immensely positive.”
However, it was far more than friendships that Sydnor developed during her time as an undergrad at Mason. Her academic successes culminated in being awarded the Student Excellence Award in Marketing, an exclusive honor received by one student per academic year. Additionally, she was encouraged by professors to apply for an internship at PricewaterhouseCoopers, which ultimately led to a managerial position with the firm. “I don’t think I would ever have made that move if not for Mason,” she says.
In May 2020, she was invited to join the newly-formed School of Business Alumni Chapter Council of Presidents, and late in 2021, Alumni Chapter President Scott Hine, BS Decision Science ’85, connected her with Emerging Business Leader Awardee Giovanni Rodriguez. A transfer student from Northern Virginia Community College, Rodriquez had, due to the pandemic, not yet experienced an in-person class at Mason. Ambitious but feeling slightly isolated, gaining a mentor in Sydnor was just what he needed. “Giovanni has so much initiative and I enjoy getting to know him, sharing my knowledge, and also learning a lot from him,” says Sydnor. The pair discuss matters including how to develop a network through social media, the strategy of working a room, and how to get the most out of an internship.
“When we first started talking, I was looking for an internship. I talked about my aspirations and Nancy
was able to share her own experiences along with other valuable resources,” says Rodriguez. “For instance, she walked me through helpful articles to make sure I understood everything and helped me feel prepared prior to the career fair.” With the help of Sydnor’s guidance, Rodriguez attained his desired position of brand marketing intern at VidMob, where he handles newsletters, conducts industry research, and gets exceptional exposure to his future career field. In mentoring Rodriguez, Sydnor has leaned on her own professional network for ideas and resources, exemplifying the importance of such a network. Two of the most helpful women for her have been Kathy Troutman, founder and president of The Resume Place, and Christy Parrish (MA Arts Management ’14), partner and creative director of Hue Communications.
As someone who got so much out of her time as an undergrad at the School of Business, Nancy Sydnor encourages current students to stay close following graduation, whether that’s through going to basketball games, happy hours, or speaker events. “You never know who you might meet,” she says. She shares with mentees that they have one opportunity to impress people. “Look professional, and always be prepared, whether it is for a virtual or in-person meeting, an interview, or a networking event. One thing that impressed me right away with Giovanni was his preparation for our Zoom calls and his follow-up on action items.”
Nancy Sydnor treasures her Mason experiences as a student and as an alumna. Through her work with Giovanni Rodriguez and other students, she’s doing her part in sharing the Patriot Pride. Get involved and connect with School of Business students through the Mason Mentors program.