Baylor MBA Students Make Their Mark at National Career Fair

The value of student attendance at career fairs cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to events that connect students with top-tier employers and meaningful career opportunities. This September, 40 Baylor MBA students traveled to Houston, Texas, to attend the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Career Fair, the nation’s largest diversity career fair in the country.

With 11 on-site interviews and 23 off-site interviews scheduled, students made strong impressions and laid the groundwork for future conversations. A real strength of career events lies in the networking impact and the quality of employer engagement, which are two key metrics Baylor students use to evaluate their success.

Preparation for the event is intentional and strategic. Students receive a list of attending companies and research each one thoroughly, identifying those that align with their career goals.   

“Since so many of the companies are household names, I already knew quite a bit about them,” said Matthew Wiese, MBA candidate. “However, taking the time to read the job description for roles they have open and reading through their
company values and culture page on their website can tell you so much more about how
they operate internally and what kinds of candidate they are looking for.”

Baylor MBA faculty and staff play a vital role in helping students prepare for these opportunities. Baylor MBA Career Success Professionals Amine Qourzal, associate director, and Laura Pahmiyer, senior success professional, work closely with students to sharpen their networking skills that are put to the test in real-time at career fairs. 

“Amine and Laura are two people who are almost as invested in my future as I am,” Weise said. “Their coaching has proven to be critical in the internship application process, and I always walk away confident when I have the opportunity to meet with them.”

The vision for the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) is to be a leading global catalyst for career advancement and economic empowerment of underrepresented professionals. Baylor MBA students have attended the annual conference for many years, and this year’s turnout was one of the strongest yet. Nearly all students, or 97%, reported feeling more confident about their career search after attending.

For Baylor alumni, this continued commitment to professional development reflects the university’s values and the strength of its MBA program. Career fairs like NBMBAA are more than just events—they’re launchpads for the next generation of leaders.