Students at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics have access to dozens of clubs and organizations that provide invaluable personal and professional development for both undergrads and grad students and help connect the latest talent with companies and organizations across the region.

From Beta Alpha Psi, which focuses on accounting and finance career paths, to the American Marketing Association, preparing students for the vast world of marketing careers, to clubs specifically catering to Hispanic and Black students, the business college is replete with opportunities for students to expand themselves and plan for their futures.

The nearly 20 clubs that specifically prepare students for a business career are part of the Business Inter-Club Council (BICC), a student government of sorts for the business college’s student-focused organizations.

From June 2022 to June 2023, senior Dayton Ly ’23 led this council, after holding a number of club leadership positions throughout his first three years at CSUF, including with the Center for Leadership’s Leadership Scholars program and Business and Data Analytics Club (BDAC).

Now a recent graduate, Ly looks back on his time of student leadership to discuss what he gained, the value of student clubs, and how it has prepared him for a post-college career.

What were your biggest accomplishments as BICC president?

My goal at the start of my presidency was to bring more awareness to BICC. Most students who weren’t leading a club didn’t know what BICC even was.

At the beginning of my term, I sat down with my vice president of programs, Christine Ly, and we created programming to raise awareness of what BICC is. This meant hosting an event each month to put BICC on students’ radar.

Through events such as Meet the Deans, BICC gave students the opportunity to meet the leadership of the college and have their voices heard.

Plus, we expanded Business Madness week to include a Carnival event, a new type of professional networking event, and a lecture by guest speaker Steven Lim, a YouTuber and entertainment company co-founder.

By the end of my one-year term, more and more students began to recognize what BICC was and what we have to offer. Attendance at events was rising and clubs stayed engaged with BICC through the year.

What is one leadership lesson you learned as BICC president?

The most important leadership lesson I learned is the importance of being intentional and this is a lesson I continue to carry with me as I navigate my career post-graduation.

Thinking about how students and organizations would benefit from an event was always top of mind when planning programming and opportunities for the council.

I always wanted students to practically feel the impact of the programming we put on.

For every program that we held or opportunity that we offered, I never just referred back to what BICC has done in the past. I made an active effort to look for areas we could improve in, whether it was our programming or our outreach efforts.

Why should students join a club or get involved in BICC while at the CSUF College of Business and Economics?

As the governing body for the clubs within the business college, BICC provides resources to both the business clubs and students looking to get involved. BICC can be found on social media at @bicccsuf.

Becoming an intern with BICC is a great opportunity for students to get involved and learn about the various clubs in the college.

Another resource during the first two weeks of each semester is BICC tabling, when BICC reserves courtyard space so business clubs can recruit new members. If you’re not sure what club is for you, these first two weeks are the perfect time to learn more and discover what community you should join!

Joining a club and getting actively involved can open up so many doors for you. Whether it’s an internship opportunity or expanding your professional network. Joining these communities also gives you the chance to make some lifelong friendships, because it can be difficult making friends at a commuter school.

How did your experience in BICC prepare you for life after college?

I first joined BICC during my second year as an intern and then went on to serve as the vice president of finance and finally BICC president in my senior year.

All my time and experience taught me valuable skills of public speaking, time management, and problem solving. My experience in BICC also helped me to develop my networking skills and meet professionals from different industries.

My time in BICC and these skills have given me experiences to use and talk about in interviews and have helped me stand out among other candidates.

Getting Involved or Getting in Touch

If you are a student at Cal State Fullerton’s business college, resolve to look in to joining one or more student clubs when fall semester starts this August. Networking and informational events are held throughout campus at the beginning of each fall semester.

And if you are an alumnus seeking to give back or a business professional looking to tap in to Cal State Fullerton’s diverse and adept talent pool, reach out to our clubs to connect with recruiting events, speaking opportunities and other avenues for involvement.