The Source: President Jim Ryan

What Advice Would You Give To Students?

“Some of the most successful people I know think less about networking, in a transactional sense, and more about building authentic relationships.  

They treat everyone they meet with kindness, they are genuinely interested in what the other person has to say, and they are true to their word. 

If you can do those three things, you’ll have a good chance of building real relationships that last beyond one meeting or event and that might even change your career or your life.

 My other piece of advice is to start by learning someone’s story. 

UVA has a live storytelling event each year called Double Take, which I recommend you check out.

The premise is simple – if we take the time to ask about and truly listen to each other’s stories, we get to know each other a little better, and make our community a little stronger. 

The same is true in networking – if you listen to someone’s story and share your own, you’ll set the relationship up for success.”