Abigail A. Adeleke graduated from the University of Miami in May 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Psychology and a minor in Spanish. During her last year at the U, she served as Student Government President. Before graduating, she accepted a position as a Financial Consultant with Charles Schwab in Westlake, TX.
During her time at the U, Abigail joined the Cane2Cane mentorship platform to chat, connect, and learn more from alumni and professionals who are currently thriving in the industries she was interested in pursuing.
Here is what she shared with us about her Cane2Cane experience.
1. How has C2C impacted your personal, educational, or career journey?
- “C2C projected me out of my comfort zone. I was completely new to networking and after speaking with several individuals I got more and more comfortable. Now I have increased my network on LinkedIn and even connected with individuals through referrals to speak with them as well to better understand Marketing and Communications.”
2. Tell us about a connection you’ve made on C2C.
- “C2C has significantly impacted my career journey. I spoke with the COO of Yaupon Brothers American Tea, Shelly Steele, and after speaking with her for several minutes we realized that we had so many similarities. Shelly was able to connect me with several recruiters and employers and now is my mentor. The biggest takeaway that I got from our connection was to get out of my own way. Often, as students, we may get nervous to reach out to a recruiter directly or send a follow-up email, but just by doing that huge doors can open. I am incredibly grateful for Shelly, her mentorship, and her passion for what she does. She is awesome.”
3. What is one piece of advice you would like to offer students interested in seeking mentorship or breaking through the world of networking during these current times?
- “My biggest piece of advice is to stop thinking of the “what-if” and start thinking of what could be. “What if they don’t respond or it turns out to be a dead end?” These things may transpire when you are networking but that is a part of the process. Roses may have a few thorns but if you never try you may never achieve that dream opportunity, job, or internship. Go for it! There’s truly a world of possibilities.”
*This Cane2Cane testimonial and mentorship story was shared by Abigail in February 2021.*
Want to be a mentor or looking for a mentor? Join Cane2Cane today!
