By Verona Mahilet
Wondering what you were thinking when you read “your president” ….
Personally, my mind would have paused; which is honestly what I intended. Break and breathe, because you might be the next one selected to be part of Dr. Baston’s vision, to give eager students the opportunity to connect with Cleveland leaders within the business community. Don’t hide it, I can see your eyes shining from here! What is that about, and how would you be able to integrate this prestigious initiative, is what we will discuss in this article, so sit down and enjoy.
The President Society is a great opportunity for any Tri-C student motivated to level up their value in the hiring market. I can see you coming, “again slides that will give me famously shared points…” Hold on. The slides here are not PowerPoint but immersive activities. You will be interacting with each point individually and will have the opportunity to practice those points with qualified individuals present specially for you.
Guidance on how to draft your resume IN THE MEANTIME, while using technology and tips tailored based on the position you desire and the organizations. Building your own brand targeting the hiring market, yes, LinkedIn is not only to find a job in case you didn’t know before. Discovery of your strengths to be targeted as indispensable to your team, not only as a leader but also as a member….
“Wait Verona, I already heard about all of those…” Fact, you might have even gotten chances to participate in workshops where some of these titles are featured. So, what would be the point in integrating the President Society then? Simple, those workshops are all reunited at once and structurally organized within one academic year, leaving you time to process, question, and assimilate. It’s not a one-day or one-week session of courses leaving you with a whole book of notes and confusion on how to start your journey. But instead, an experience that lays out the foundation of that journey, then guides you on your very first step. “An immersive program” which I must admit never ends. “What!? Wouldn’t it be supposed to finish after one academic year?” Officially yes, but didn’t I mention the business community before!?
The President Society’s greatest feature, in my opinion, is the networking opportunity it presents. Each student will be associated with one mentor, who is an outstanding leader within the Cleveland business community. The matching process depends on your needs. What do you want to learn from them!? It can be career-wise, experience-wise, or skill-wise. If you had the chance to connect with a leader, what would you like to learn from him/her!?
Personally, to this question I directly answered: a journey to be skilled in the IT environment, but also to get myself out of my comfort zone and grow my confidence. And the reply from the program wasn’t disappointing at all! I shouldn’t be telling you the following line, so it should stay between you and I, but continuing with the mentor opportunity, it can also open a portal to even greater opportunities… for example: from your mentor, you can build a network that will ultimately be helpful in your job-seeking journey, I didn’t tell you that, ok….
After all the information I just provided you with, you must be overwhelmed. At least I would have been. It might feel very intimidating interacting with all those leaders. I agree, but let me remind you, the President Society holds your hand in your very first step. With the cohorts and administration, you will be practicing those networking skills: what to say, how to say it, and how to behave. They’ve got you covered. Another important thing is that, as the number of selected students is small, not only are you more personally attended to, but you also build your own community together like a family that constitutes a strong network…. this is the emotional part, don’t get me started.
“Ok, it seems like it is designed for a specific range of students who have not stepped into the hiring market yet.” False. In the President Society, every person desiring to learn these skills and engage in this experience is welcomed. Whether you are stepping in for the first time, redefining, or remarketing yourself for the hiring market, you will find your space here. Activities and lessons are included to accompany you in this journey, and this regardless of your age, field, and so on, all you need is a great GPA and the motivation to learn.
Speaking of motivation, you must think that this is very high-demanding. As a student who got the chance to be selected for the very first cohort, I will kindly hold your little hands, look you in the eyes, and answer “nope!”. And God knows how much I have on my plate right now, not only me, but also all my peers within the program, well involved in campus life and programs, but ultra-active in life in general. I told you this program happens in one academic year and is well structured. So don’t worry, just clear up your agenda a little bit. They will give you stipends at the end of each semester for being kind with your time…, also another secret I wasn’t supposed to share.
“Verona… stop talking and tell us how to register! What are the requirements!?” Calm down, that is information I don’t have…, yet. As I mentioned above, the President Society is in its early setting. We are the very first cohort, and criteria for invitation are for now unknown. All I can say regarding my integration is that an invitation was sent to me by my point of contact from the Tri-C Summer Internship 2025 program, toward the end of that summer. In the email, it explained what the President Society is about and the requirements to qualify. There were forms to fill out and little essays to write in order to be considered for an interview, to identify whether you would be a great fit or not. Even while writing this article, I precise on February 8th, 2026, no article or Tri-C announcement has been made yet.
This is why I volunteered to slip the tea with you guys, hopefully making you aware and ready for when official announcements will land on your ears. All I shared here is not even half of the experience I have been blessed with, from the beginning of Fall 2025 to the end of Spring 2026. If you ask me right now whether I would like to be part of it again, I will spontaneously answer a big “yes.” I’ve learned, and am still learning, so much, and I greatly encourage any of you to experience it yourself. Don’t let this opportunity go if you get the chance to be invited.
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