When I was a student at USF, I benefited from the Corporate Mentor Program pairing business leaders with students who are often the first in their families to go to college.

Frequently, they have not yet been able to see what it’s like in the corporate world. They may not have witnessed, first-hand, what it means to be a professional and know why networking is an essential part of a successful career.  I can look back and see how having a mentor impacted my career.

Now, as CFO for Fifth Third Bank, I am one of 72 senior-level professionals serving the business school as a mentor in the very same program that helped me (and nearly 500 other students since its 1987 inception).

It’s gratifying to thank the mentors who influenced me personally and professionally by doing the same for two young men who are, like I was, on the brink of success and eager to soak up a few nuggets of advice along the way.

-- Brian Lamb, CFO, Fifth Third Bank