Professionalism director shares program updates, insights on how to make the most of its offerings
As students head into the new school year, they’ll notice new faces and perhaps a few new opportunities in the School of Business. One significant change this year involves the school’s Professionalism Program. The program’s name recently changed to the EY Professionalism Program to reflect financial support from EY (formerly known as Ernst & Young), and for the first time, all incoming freshmen and directly admitted students are now required to participate.
Matt Lancaster, director of the EY Professionalism Program, explains that while there are a lot of changes, there are still many things to get excited about. With a background in public education and experiences in designing and coordinating curriculum for students, Lancaster is ready to help business students grow and to prepare them for life after graduation.
Keep reading to get to know Lancaster and to learn more about program updates.
Introduce yourself.
My background is in public education. My previous experiences and knowledge help me develop the curriculum, ePlatform and overall professional opportunities for our students. When I’m not at work, I enjoy playing guitar, reading, painting miniatures and spending time with my wife, son and dog.
How did you get involved with professional development at KU School of Business?
I am a Jayhawk and received my undergraduate and first master’s degrees from KU. I was looking for a way to come back and give back. I have experience designing and coordinating curriculum and extracurricular opportunities for secondary students, so when I learned that this program was looking to grow exponentially and needed the structure, avenues and planning, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to contribute. I’ve been blown away by the friendliness and engagement of our students, the cooperation and leadership from staff (especially Business Career Services) and the scope of what we want to accomplish here.
What’s new with the EY Professionalism Program this year?
Quite a bit! Most notably is the name change. Thanks to EY’s generous sponsorship, we can offer more opportunities to more students. Additionally, we’ve added new badges to Suitable [the app used to track ePoints] and are working on additional incentives. The BUS 410: Professionalism Capstone is now offered for the first time this semester, and this marks the first semester of total participation in the Professionalism Program.
Why is the EY Professionalism Program important?
The program was introduced to improve employment prospects, promotability and transferability for students when they graduate. It serves as a way for all students — regardless of major — to partake in professional development like certificates, competitions and conferences before graduation and largely free of cost. These are things that employers will be looking for and that graduates would have to learn “on the job.” Our hope is that full engagement with the program will set our graduates apart from graduates from other institutions.
What do you hope students take away from the program?
I know that earning ePoints can seem like a daunting chore at first glance. But as we continue to build out the ePlatform, I hope that each student can find something truly valuable for the start of their career that they may not have had access to otherwise. I also know that there is a lot of good content in the program’s courses, especially BUS 210, and I know that’s a value you can’t get anywhere else.
What’s one thing that you want people to know about the program?
Students, you’ll get out of this program what you put into it. There are plenty of entry-level points-earning opportunities like guest speakers and online webinars, but there are also some exciting high-points earning. I encourage everyone to keep an eye on the leaderboard and push yourselves to get the most out of your time here while you can.
Where can students go to learn more information?
I cannot stress this enough: Students should be checking the Suitable app at least weekly (using the “upcoming” view as well as filtering by category for those activities that are not time-constrained). We’ll have notable opportunities on the rotating slide deck that Business Career Services sends out each week, and we’ll continue to do push notifications throughout the semester. Those looking for overall program information can check out the program’s webpage.
Is there anything else to add?
I’m honored to be a part of an institution that is growing and achieving more than ever. If you have any ideas, input, questions or concerns, I’d love to hear from you! My office is #2167, and my email is matt.lancaster@ku.edu.
