Anderson School of Management recruiter Lisa Beauchene has taken steps to bridge the gap between the pueblos of New Mexico and the business school. The Daily Lobo sat down with Beauchene to talk about the inaugural meeting of the All Pueblo Council of Governors at the Anderson School of Management, what goes into being a recruiter and how her background shaped her for that position.
DL: What went into the meeting of Pueblo Governors?
“It started with my push to create a better relationship between Anderson and the Native community. I knew that we had a good representation of Native American students at ASM, but I also knew that our efforts could be better. I approached Jaye Francis about it, and she informed me of these meetings.
The consensus was to start from the ground up – speak to the fact that lines of communication need to improve, and there’s so much more that ASM can be doing with the Native community. So from about mid-October to the meeting, it became a planning process for Jaye, Patti, Bruncha [at EPEC] and me to put this together. Alicia Ortega, who works for the [All Pueblo Council of Governors], is an Anderson MBA alum as well. The support was there. The purpose of the meeting was to begin speaking about what ASM can do better, how we can provide education to tribal leaders, how we can create internship programs that put students back on their pueblos, and what custom programs can we create here.”
What does your position at ASM entail? How long have you been at ASM and how have you enjoyed your time there?
“I have been the graduate student recruitment specialist at ASM since June 2015. It’s a newly created position, and I am the first to be in it. I love recruitment because UNM is a great place to attend college, and ASM is one of the best programs to work for and be part of the growth. My position entails all the things involved with increasing enrollments in our programs at the graduate level. I speak in front of groups often, establish new pipelines for future students at ASM, and create initiatives to maintain the great diversity that we have here.”
What is your background prior to your position at ASM and how did that shape your current interests?
“Prior to being the Student Recruitment Specialist at ASM, I was an assistant volleyball coach for the Lobos for nine seasons. For all of those years, I was our head recruiter for the program. All of the current players for UNM Volleyball are all student athletes that I recruited. Before working at UNM, I worked for a sports marketing and advertising agency in Albuquerque where I worked with Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the Santa Fe Opera and St. Vincent Regional Medical Center as clients. Because of my experience in sports and specifically volleyball, I also currently serve as the CFO of a local volleyball club called Ardent. We have 18 teams, and I love being a part of youth development.”
Why did you choose to pursue the field that you have?
“I chose this field because I enjoy talking to people and helping them realize their goals. Getting a graduate degree is something that’s becoming more and more common. At ASM, we have some great connections to employers – over 200 to be exact. The students that pursue a degree here become very connected, which is another part of the job that I love.”
What advice would you give to any student pursuing a career in business at UNM?
“Start building your brand now. Your brand is not just your resume, but find out what you stand for and go for it. Many prospective business students that I speak to are not sure which path to take, so business becomes their plan because it’s needed anywhere. It’s a useful degree, but they should find out what direction they want to go while pursuing business. Whether it’s getting an internship, volunteering, or doing a study abroad, it’s best to research and find a more specific path because it will make them more marketable for employment.”
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Matthew Reisen is the news editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
