ALUMN I PROFESS I ONALS
CONNECT WITH FELLOW ALUMNI THROUGH TOMMIE AFFINITY GROUPS
St. Thomas alumni bring unmatched talents and value to their employers. But we also know how much they give back to each other as members of the Tommie Network! With over 110,000 St. Thomas alumni out in the world, it may come as no surprise that Tommies are everywhere. This past year, alumni have come together within their companies to form Tommie affinity groups. Meet two of our corporate captains. Affinity group photos featured were taken before the pandemic. LeeWinbush ’17 MBA Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, 3M What are some highlights from your time in the MBA program? I had professors with real-world experience who made the subject matter come alive. My operations professor made unique connections between the creative world of hip-hop and the cold, business world of operations and supply chain. My greatest memories frommy time at St. Thomas came from attending Executive Perspectives with Ertugrul Tuzcu and getting to know him personally. This class had a profound impact on how I viewed my career in relation to my personal life. Most importantly, he taught me the power of having a close network of friends around me to both challenge and encourage me. Have Tommie alumni remained part of that close network? Through that class, I joined a True North group with seven other individuals, six of whom were St. Thomas alumni! We’ve gotten to know each
other over the past couple of years, and we meet monthly to encourage personal and professional development. It is a group of friends that I treasure. Why did you decide to be a champion for the alumni group at 3M? I enjoy being part of a community. It means you’re never alone. The 3M St. Thomas Alumni Network really is for the common good. It’s about building networks with peers here at 3M. It’s about connecting with students who are still at the earliest stages of their career who might benefit from our experience. It’s about service to our community. Finally, it’s about seizing the opportunity for me personally to grow as a leader by leading the 3M St. Thomas Alumni Network alongside my colleagues. What are some ways in which the group has connected? We started with a kickoff [event] in November 2018 and continued into 2019 with a series of events, including two that combined a 3M leader with a St. Thomas expert. We also had a great turnout at a volunteer event at Feed My Starving Children, whose executive director is a St. Thomas alumnus, too! What would you say 3M and St. Thomas have in common? 3Mers are curious, innovative and eager to serve the communities in which we do business. I believe this maps on the St. Thomas culture very well.
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