“The global network and perspectives from the relationships I’ve built at UCO have given great value to transform my business into a forward-looking and progressive one.” Alvin Teh UCO International Alumni – Class of 2013.
“The best business leaders and institutions understand that your network is your net worth.” That is how Paul Teshima, a very successful CEO, who through exploiting his sales, marketing and networking skills, was able to sell Eloqua – a marketing automation and intelligence platform – to Oracle for $871 million; yielding a 200% profit increase. Paul attributes this very successful business exchange to the strong relationship he built with Oracle (Mimaroglu, A. 2018).
At UCO, we too believe in the power and importance of building a network by creating strong relationships during your time at Central. As international students you are probably wondering, is this useful only if I am planning on pursuing a professional career in the U.S.A.? Will networking help me if I want to go back home and start a career there? – If you are having these questions then our next Alumni Success Story will be able to help you clarify any doubts!
Alvin Teh is an international alumni from Malaysia; he joined the Central family back in 2010 and graduated 3 years later with a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science. Nowadays, Alvin is a very successful strategy consultant in Malaysia – he just recently acquired a new job with Deloitte and will be starting a role as a Regional Consultant in January of 2021. Alongside, Alvin has started numerous small businesses related to personal development, corporate consultancy and medical healthcare in Malaysia.
During his journey at UCO, Alvin remembers his experience in this university as a transformative one. From the help of professors towards his degree completion and opportunities on campus for his personal development, to his various part-time working experiences as office administrative assistant, tutor, student program manager and kitchen helper; Alvin reflects on these experiences at Central as “extremely valuable”. Additionally, the leadership roles Alvin served during his college time catapulted him to attain the skillset he needed to succeed in his current industry as a Strategic Consultant.
When asked if his involvement and networking on campus played a big role in the success of his professional career, Alvin answered “Absolutely!” – he attributes the campus welcoming and diverse environment to his ability to exercise effective networking and acquire critical skills like negotiation, empathy, leadership and many more. In essence, his many roles on campus allowed Alvin to experience and practice – within a safe and realistic environment – what the real-world would look like!
The many relationships that Alvin built while he was at UCO remain with him to this day, some of them became accountability partners, others became mentors and advisors on Alvin’s road to professional success. Ultimately, Alvin stresses that “The global network and perspectives from the relationships I’ve built at UCO have given great value to transform my business into a forward-looking and progressive one.”
As we were working on Alvin’s unique and inspiring story, we were curious to know what was Alvin’s perspective about what is unique to UCO – to this he responded: “Great academic support, great student program services, great student life… Great student life for sure!…. And of course, the good ole Oklahoma warm hospitality is definitely one of a kind. People often ask me if I was ever being discriminated against, contrary to the popular belief, I personally thought the local community was extremely welcoming to me as an international student.”
Finally, Alvin wishes to leave a piece of advice to incoming international students: “Time flies by real fast, when you’re there, get involved… attend classes, make some lifelong friends, get a part-time job, join at least 1 student organization, and witness the transformative experience of your life.”
Like Alvin Teh, there are so many international Alumni from around the world with amazing stories. Join us as our international alumni community shares their stories with you!
References
Teh, A. (personal communication, November 24, 2020)
Mimaroglu, A. (2018, February 2). Your Network Is Your Net Worth: 5 Lessons on Building Stronger Networks. Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/303467.
