October 23, 2025 by

If you’re a high school senior wondering how college will help you start your career, here’s something I wish I had known on day one: Conversations with professors and mentors can change everything.

Your time at Cedarville is all about learning how to be bold and take initiative. As a student in the Robert W. Plaster School of Business, I had professors consistently remind me that they are here to help us all succeed academically and professionally. I witnessed that blessing firsthand when connecting with a professor over Rinnova led to my summer internship. Let me tell you the story of how I landed my position — I hope it will encourage you to make the most of the wonderful connections at Cedarville too!

Enjoying a spontaneous coffee run with my coworkers.

Tip #1: Use Your Cedarville Network: The Professors Are Here for You

Last October, I found myself scrolling through LinkedIn and noticed the profile for Bill Montgomery, the CEO of the River Radio Ministries. To my surprise, his profile showed that he was also an adjunct professor here at Cedarville! I followed his account and made a bold career move: I asked him if he would like to meet over coffee.

I’ve found that Cedarville students, alumni, faculty, and staff are always willing to get to know you and help you succeed. Never be afraid to send an email, invite someone for a coffee, or connect with someone on LinkedIn! We are all a part of the Yellow Jacket family, and that can lead to rich mentoring relationships from your freshman year to even after you walk across the graduation stage. My Portfolio 1 professor encouraged me to grow my network by having the boldness to reach out to others, and following that wise advice led me to reach out to Mr. Montgomery. 

If you are looking to grow professionally, be bold and reach out to Cedarville professors, alumni, or fellow students. You never know what wonderful opportunities that connection may lead to! For me, it led to a coffee conversation and interview with Mr. Montgomery. 

Tip #2: Take Advantage of Cedarville’s Coffee Shop To Connect

Just a few weeks later, Mr. Montgomery agreed to meet at Rinnova, Cedarville’s on-campus coffee shop. As we drank our coffee, he shared his ministry’s mission to make Jesus known, and we thought out loud about potential ways that I could use my current academic and professional knowledge to best serve his company. All of the nerves I’d had left me as I sat in a comfortable study chair and sipped an iced vanilla chai tea latte, my favorite Rinnova drink. 

This was a wonderful opportunity to learn about a ministry, and it isn’t an experience that is unique to me. You will find students talking with professors, mentors, and professionals over coffee all the time! Through Rinnova, Cedarville provides us with a space where we can connect and grow with other Christ-followers. Make the most of Rinnova when you get here! Invite classmates to a study coffee, get to know a professor outside of the classroom, or — like I did — network with someone in your field!

Tip #3: Say Yes to New Opportunities, Even if They Challenge You

After my interview, Mr. Montgomery invited me to visit his company over fall break. I stepped out of my comfort zone and had a great time meeting the employees and seeing for myself the place where their mission of telling others who Jesus truly is came to life.

A few months later, COO Dave Stephens reached out to me to ask if I’d be interested in designing my own dream internship there. We also met at — no surprise — Rinnova. It was a blessing to interview in a place where I already felt comfortable meeting and connecting with others. Mr. Stephens is an alumnus of Cedarville and shared with me how he has grown connections on this campus. After an hour of talking, we discussed an internship that allowed me to mix my academic skills with evangelism. 

College is a prime time to say yes: to connect with others, shadow current professionals in jobs you’re interested in, and explore new opportunities. View your 1000 Days as a chance to cultivate long-lasting and meaningful connections. 

Meeting and praying over Christian music artists Bay Turner and Natalie Layne before their concert.

 

Tip #4: Use Your Cedarville Education in Real-World Ministry

Making those connections through LinkedIn messages and Rinnova chats led to a summer of deep spiritual and professional growth. I spent the following summer documenting the core process across the company at large, generating sales leads, designing technical documents, and evangelizing in Columbus. 

I even had the opportunity to work concerts such as Tauren Wells, Josiah Queen, We the Kingdom, and more! I will never forget praying with Bay Turner, Natalie Layne, and Brook Abella before they performed. We all stood in a circle as I led us in prayer and thanked the Lord for the blessing it was to humbly come together and exalt Him. 

I utilized everything that my former work experiences and education taught me to serve faithfully in ministry. As you study, remember that everything you learn matters and will help you practically serve others. And look for opportunities to use what you’re learning in ministry or internship opportunities — the gifts God has given you are meant to be shared!

Tip #5: Use Your Growth To Mentor Others

Now, as a senior, I’m in a period of reflecting on everything I learned professionally, spiritually, and academically. The Lord blessed me with great growth experiences, and I want to share the wisdom and love that He has shown me with others.

As you grow, take the time to mentor younger students and share how God has worked with you through your time as a student. Whether you’re just beginning your Cedarville journey or preparing to graduate, don’t underestimate the power of one bold connection — on your life or the life of those around you. Your next career position might be just one cup of coffee away.

 

Working on DJ informative sheets at my favorite coffee shop, The Morning Ritual.

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