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The Leeds First-Year Experience Program offers Career Launchpad events to give students exposure to career options and networking opportunities with industry professionals. A recent career trek to Sprouts Farmers Market provided an invaluable education in the operational decisions for balancing sustainability with profitability.

A banana has a long trip from South America to a grocery store in the U.S. It’s not just the shipping, but also the packaging, storage and ripening—each step a critical link to ensure quality.

That’s one piece of the food system puzzle that seven first-year students discovered during a recent visit to Sprouts in Boulder. In a way, the students could relate that banana’s trek to their own college journeys as they ripen their ideas and become ready for careers.

Through the Career Launchpad program, students engage in volunteering, attend speaking events with successful Leeds graduates, visit company sites and begin working with career coaches to craft their professional journey. The program not only leads to potential internships, summer jobs and networking connections, but it also helps students shape their paths from sophomore through senior year, building a real-world business acumen and skills to stand out in a competitive job market.

The business of fresh food

������Ƶ18 the Career Launchpad

Through the First-Year Experience’s Career Launchpad, students attend events and earn resources and materials, such as a portfolio, to help prepare for their careers.  

“Our goal is to introduce students to a range of career opportunities in their first year and initiate networking with local industries, as well as in sectors where we have strong connections,” said Marcus Bell, assistant director of the First-Year Experience program. 

“By bringing these opportunities directly to students, we aim to create a more approachable and less intimidating experience,” he said. “The foundation for a successful career begins with meaningful connections and experiences, and at Leeds, we are here to support students every step of the way.” 

Upcoming Events

• March 14: Mini Career Trek to the Pepsi Campus in Denver 

• March 17: Community Food Share in Broomfield 

• April 4: Mini Career Trek to BioMed Realty (Blackstone) in Boulder 

• April 18: Mini Career Trek to United Airlines 

• April 26: Community Food Share in Broomfield 

Students can learn more about upcoming Career Launchpad events by accessing the First-Year Experience Canvas page and checking their email for announcements. 

, with 440 stores across 23 states, aims to expand to 1,200 stores nationwide. Its mission to foster healthy eating at an affordable price is accompanied by a commitment to sustainable business practices, including prioritizing employee well-being and thriving communities.

During the visit, Jeremy Davis, a 17-year Sprouts employee, shared his career path from a produce clerk to a district director overseeing 12 stores. He also explained what it was like to land in his current role in 2020, just as the pandemic hit—an unprecedented time that transformed supply chains and retail practices. 

Keeping costs and sustainability in balance

Leeds alumna Chelsea (Schaul) Walters (Mktg’10), also a district director at Sprouts, provided students with insights on Sprouts’ humble beginnings as a fruit truck to acquiring other stores and expanding into a national grocery chain.  

First-year Sofia Rivera posed the first question: “How do you keep products affordable?”

Walters explained that Sprouts strives to develop long-term agreements with local farmers and vendors to stabilize costs, supporting sustainability and local economies.

Sprouts adheres to a 250-mile transportation rule for its produce from its own distribution warehouses. This strategy not only ensures freshness but also reduces emissions. 

For first-year student Marcus Zoldak, those logistics were eye-opening. "I thought it must be really difficult to be a for-profit company and also be for the consumer and for sustainability," he said. Both he and Rivera were especially impressed by Sprouts’ emphasis on mental health and workplace well-being as part of their sustainability initiatives.

Behind the scenes of a grocery store 

Store manager Luke Archibeque guided students through the intricate process of receiving, sorting and managing fresh produce within a three-to-five-day window. With a goal to become a zero-waste company by 2030, Sprouts implements multiple initiatives, including composting food waste, recycling, community programs and donations, and even repurposing bones for fuel.

Walking students through the store’s waste management efforts, Archibeque summed up the company’s philosophy: "Sustainability is responsibility."

He also emphasized the financial aspects of sustainability. "Your budget plays a big role in sustainability." You have to constantly monitor what comes in the building and what goes out, he emphasized.

Walters reinforced this point: "Everything in business has a number." She explained how trash is weighed by the ton, which carries financial implications as they pay to have it removed.

Career paths in sustainability and business

Beyond environmental sustainability, Walters underscored that corporate culture, supply chains, business ethics and social justice issues factor into sustainability efforts. She shared her own career journey—starting in telecommunications and fashion before finding a rewarding path at Sprouts. Her key takeaway? Careers are rarely linear, and students should stay open to unexpected opportunities.

Heidi Hulse, Leeds’ advising supervisor of Undergraduate Programs, encouraged the students to consider the range of possibilities afforded by Leeds’ areas of emphasis and courses. For example, she said the Sprouts trek demonstrated the broad impact of marketing, touching upon customer behavior, pricing strategies, channels, logistics and data analytics. These all offer diverse career opportunities—ones students may not have initially considered or realized, she said.

Rivera, who is considering management and entrepreneurship but is also drawn to business analytics, found Sprouts’ commitment to sustainability particularly inspiring.  

"Sustainability is such an important thing in our generation, so I was really pleased to see how much Sprouts does for sustainability and that the cost doesn’t really impact them," she said.

First-year Nathan Vanagas was surprised by the speed at which produce moves through the supply chain. "I guess I never really thought about how long it takes for food to get here," he said.

Vanagas, who is a marketing major considering data analytics or management, left the visit with new career inspiration. "I do want to look into sustainability—I think that would be useful,” he said.

Innovation and future possibilities

Archibeque noted that job titles don’t necessarily have to incorporate sustainability. It’s more about getting your foot in the door and thinking "How can I innovate?"

After digesting a full plate of details, students left with a deeper taste of how business decisions, operations, sustainability and profitability are all ingredients in a purpose-driven organization.

Archibeque left them with a powerful closing thought: "Find a place in the world where you can make a difference—and then go make that difference."

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On February 19, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean Vijay Khatri welcomed the Leeds community to the State of the School 2025 address.

The event brought together alumni, prospective student families, business leaders and the CU Boulder community for an inspiring discussion of Leeds’ progress and vision for the future as it advances the 2035 Leeds Strategic Plan.

A Legacy of Excellence

Dean Khatri started by celebrating Leeds’ legacy of over a century of excellence. From its humble beginnings in the basement of the Guggenheim Law Building to its admission into the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business in 1938, Leeds has experienced decades of milestones while building a reputation for academic rigor, research innovation and adaptability to a constantly evolving business world. Now, in an era of integrated business, Leeds is helping shape how business connects with a wide variety of fields, including engineering, the arts and sciences.

Leeds in Momentum

The address highlighted Leeds' strengths in student excellence, faculty talent and career outcomes, framed within five areas of impact: pipeline, retention and graduation rates; business acumen and career outcomes; well-being of the Leeds community; the Leeds ecosystem; and academic reputation.

“In 2025, we had a record number of applicants in undergraduate programs,” said Khatri. “We had over 16,000 applicants, a 6% increase from the prior year. First-year retention rates have reached 99%, demonstrating Leeds’ dedication to student success.”

Building on its legacy of faculty excellence, Leeds continues to attract top-tier faculty from institutions like Columbia and Duke, ensuring students learn from experts in their fields. Faculty members are highly recognized for their research across all business disciplines, as evidenced by University of Texas at Dallas’ (UTD) Top 100 Business School Research Rankings. Leeds has also been a leader in technological innovation, with more than 45 courses integrating AI to date. 

Among its distinctions, Leeds consistently helps students benefit from exposure to industry leaders, with more than 1,300 guest speakers annually and six advisory boards comprising top professionals in their fields.

2035 Leeds: Strategic Priorities 

Looking ahead, Dean Khatri outlined key elements of Leeds’ strategic plan. 

Impact-Driven Business Education 

• Expansion of Design Your Leeds, currently a first-year course, to include additional offerings for third- and fourth-year students.
• Introduction of Career Pathways, featuring Business-Leader-In-Residence engagements to explore career opportunities.

Multifaceted Innovation

• A major anonymous gift is funding the Initiative for Global Business Impact, enhancing Leeds’ world-class research and academic reputation.
• Expansion of collaborative programs, such as the MS in Sustainable Business.

Enrichment of Academic Offerings

• Continued integration of AI into the curriculum, with ongoing impact assessment.
• Expansion of specialized MS programs in high-demand fields.

Culture of Care

• Strengthening community-based learning through partnerships that promote well-being and civic engagement.
• Expanding mentorship opportunities to foster interpersonal skills and student support. 

Closing the Gap Between Classroom and Career  

Dean Khatri emphasized the importance of helping students bridge academics and real-world application. Programs like the Professional Mentorship Program, one of the largest in the nation, play a critical role.

“If you were to add up the numbers, we have close to 1,000 mentors,” said Khatri. “It is an amazing ecosystem, and it's thanks to this network that our students can launch and succeed in their careers.”

Be a Part of Leeds' Future

Engage with Leeds by connecting with students and others in the community, participating in mentorship programs, attending networking events, and joining in the conversation to help shape the next generation of business leaders. 

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Thanks to an anonymous gift, Leeds is investing $3.85 million to launch the Initiative for Global Business Impact this fall, accelerating the school’s world-class research infrastructure and academic reputation.

The new Initiative for Global Business Impact will take Leeds to the world and bring the world to Leeds. Human welfare is strongly affected by sustainability of practices by businesses and individual citizens, and by the quality of consumers’ financial decisions. But the solutions offered by businesses and governments differ dramatically across geographies, as do the apparent effectiveness of those solutions. The world needs next-generation leaders who can learn from those differences and act on rigorous evidence about what works. 

Employers are seeking business professionals who can not only drive operational excellence, but who can also champion purpose-driven organizations that prioritize societal impact alongside profitability. With a focus on citizen well-being, the initiative's initial phase will prioritize consumer financial decision-making and sustainability.

“This generous gift provides Leeds with the opportunity to both broaden and deepen our inquiries by fostering connections with global communities, creating a meaningful impact on citizen well-being, businesses and society,” said Vijay Khatri, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business.

Leading the way

Khatri has appointed Distinguished Professor John G. Lynch Jr. as the inaugural director of the Initiative for Global Business Impact. Lynch was named the 2025 , the highest honor in the field of academic marketing, recognizing "creative accomplishments, public service, research, teaching and service contributions."

Lynch was the founding director of the Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making and served as senior associate dean for faculty and research at Leeds. His scholarship, extensive teaching experience, awards, mentorship and reputation in the world of consumer financial decision-making and marketing uniquely qualify him to advance Leeds’ position and academic reputation through this new initiative.

Solidifying Leeds’ research infrastructure 

Leeds faculty are already addressing global societal issues through exemplary interdisciplinary research. To take Leeds global, the school will expand its research efforts through global partnerships with scholars worldwide, enhancing its impact and solidifying its position as a global leader.

To bring the world to Leeds, Leeds faculty will have an opportunity to broaden their research scope to address critical global challenges. This will involve engaging esteemed Global Faculty-in-Residence and Global Postdoctoral Fellows whose expertise will drive intellectual growth and innovation, enabling us to tackle complex problems that address citizen well-being and produce meaningful research.

These efforts will also support the development of global academic programs in collaboration with international business schools, preparing our students for leadership roles in a globalized economy.

Addressing global challenges through business innovation

Today’s rapidly evolving business environment is increasingly shaped by factors like climate change, poverty, population growth and geopolitical conflict, noted Khatri. In response, Leeds is closely following key trends in digital transformation, sustainability, economic shifts and the future of work to address the dynamic needs of business leaders.

“Since founding the Center for Financial Decision Making in 2009, Leeds has established itself as a leader in consumer financial decision-making and household finance. That experience has demonstrated how externally focused research centers can create an infrastructure for impactful work. With this new initiative, we will collaborate with leading global partners and scholars to build trusted business research that addresses large-scale societal challenges with solutions that really work,” said Lynch.

"With this new initiative, we will collaborate with leading global partners and scholars to build trusted business research that addresses large-scale societal challenges."

John G. Lynch Jr., Distinguished Professor 

The Initiative for Global Business Impact, focused on accelerating momentum in citizen well-being through business research, strengthens Leeds' ongoing efforts and aligns with the 2035 Leeds Strategic Plan, shaping the future of business over the next decade. 

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The annual Leeds Sustainability Case Competition brought together 39 teams from top business schools to develop solutions for sustainability challenges in the age of artificial intelligence.

As AI technology expands, its energy consumption is growing exponentially, raising urgent sustainability concerns. How can companies embrace AI without compromising environmental responsibility?

That was the central challenge that MBA students from institutions like the University of California, Berkeley (Haas), The University of Chicago (Booth), Duke University (Fuqua) and Columbia tackled at this year’s Leeds Sustainability Case Competition.

CU Boulder’s "For the Bees" team from the Masters of the Environment (MENV) program took first place, while Leeds’ "The Green Beans" team secured second place.

“Addressing environmental sustainability will be crucial for businesses over the next decade,” said Vijay Khatri, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business. “Leeds is at the forefront of highlighting how sustainability is not only a competitive advantage for business, but also an opportunity to drive innovative solutions to global challenges.”

A legacy of sustainability at Leeds

“For 25 years, the Leeds School of Business has prioritized sustainability, ethics and social responsibility, and our students come here because of that focus,” said Mike Leeds (Fin’74).

Since 2001, the Leeds Sustainability Case Competition—formerly known as the Net Impact Case Competition—has provided students with real-world business challenges focused on sustainability. The competition brings together graduate students, executives and businesses that share a common commitment to business practices that yield positive social, environmental and financial returns.

A unique opportunity for future business leaders

“This competition is a unique opportunity because students work in cross-functional teams, collaborating with peers from different disciplines to develop innovative solutions to sustainability-related challenges,” said Kathryn Wendell, executive director of the Leeds Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility.

With AI rapidly transforming industries, this year's competition demonstrated how business leaders can balance technological progress with environmental priorities. In addition to fostering an environment of creative problem-solving, the annual event also strengthens students’ professional networks, giving them essential connections as they become next-generation business leaders.

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Luke St. John (Fin’25) built a robust habit of networking while pursuing his passions at Leeds. That ultimately helped him secure a job before graduation.

For senior Luke St. John, launching his career this spring has boiled down to two things: Doing what he loves and talking to everybody.

This May, St. John will graduate and begin his new role as a business analyst at McKinsey and Company in Denver. He attributes this success partly to his involvement in various student organizations at CU. Since his freshman year, he has served as vice president on the board of the ski and snowboard club—the largest student organization on campus. He has also been an active member of Leeds Student Government and has participated in the Leeds on Wall Street group.

Turning dreams into milestones

Joining clubs helped St. John navigate a challenging start to his freshman year, fostering friendships and cementing valuable connections to craft a positive college experience. His spring semester of junior year was another turning point: Realizing he had enough credits to graduate early, he took time off to pursue his travel dreams—skiing in Japan, surfing in Bali and exploring Europe. That didn’t thwart his plans to graduate—but instead expanded his curiosity and confidence.

To fund his travels, St. John worked nearly every day at a restaurant for two months, a lesson in financial planning and perseverance. And navigating the unknowns of travel became a strong talking point during interviews. That semester off ultimately paid off. His new role at McKinsey will involve significant travel, and St. John feels ready for the challenge.

Follow your passions

St. John credits his parents for instilling in him an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for doing meaningful work. His father started a company more than 20 years ago building for fly fishing.

“I think that was so cool for me to see my entire life growing up … [my father] has been so focused and dedicated to his company. He has good days and he has bad days, and I get to see those firsthand. I know that deep down, he loves what he does.”

His mother works as a curator and grant writer for the Steamboat Art Museum, a job she loves and one that has inspired St. John’s interest in nonprofits.

“Having both parents doing something they're so passionate about … it’s kind of hard not to think, ‘They made it work 100% doing that. So why can’t I?’”

Network with peers

Early on, St. John recognized the value of Leeds’ career resources—he was in Leeds’ career coach Susan Brodnicki’s office at least an hour each week, he laughed. She worked tirelessly to help connect him with leads and contacts. Also, he never underestimated the power of collaborating with peers to practice and build skills.

His involvement with Leeds Student Government proved to be a fertile ground for learning and leadership. “It was so cool that I could go in, and not really knowing much … the juniors and seniors were able to guide me to where I wanted to go, and then they let me take the reins on stuff that I was really passionate about,” said St. John.

Through student government, St. John first learned about McKinsey from a junior who had secured a job there. That influenced his decision in freshman year to focus on finance and business. His involvement in the investment banking club starting sophomore year further honed his networking and interview skills.

"You need to put yourself out there. The worst that’ll happen is people won’t respond."

Luke St. John (Fin’25)

“They trained us that you need to put yourself out there. The worst that’ll happen is people won’t respond,” said St. John. He learned how to “take that ‘no’ and move to the next company or reach out to somebody else that might be more helpful.”

Stick with it

St. John estimates he’s sent over 500 emails for coffee chats in the last three years.

“I probably had 30 or 40 calls with companies before I even got to McKinsey,” he added. While he reached out to contacts from other schools, he found conversations with Leeds alumni to be the most productive.

“On other calls, they didn’t necessarily have the understanding about classes or looking out for me as much as people at Leeds,” said St. John. “That’s what’s so cool: Buffs looking out for Buffs.”

When St. John had his first interview with McKinsey, he reached out to a couple of students in the Leeds Consulting Group, even though he isn’t a member. Those students happily devoted a couple of hours each to help St. John practice.

Explore options through internships

Internships helped St. John gain clarity about his career path.

“I knew I wanted to do something in finance, but I didn’t necessarily know what,” St. John said. Interning with both private and nonprofit organizations allowed him to discover his preferences and envision his future. Gaining that professional experience has allowed him to feel confident going into his new role, knowing how to gauge expectations.

Looking ahead

St. John will spend two to three years as a general business analyst for McKinsey, following the company’s track to consultant, senior consultant and engagement manager roles.

No matter where the path ultimately takes him, St. John knows he’ll benefit from the experience.

“I am incredibly excited just to be able to touch a variety of industries,” he said. He hopes to pair the business knowledge he develops with his passion for the outdoors and sustainability. He dreams of starting a company to make skis, inspired by his father’s entrepreneurial journey.

One certainty: Networking will remain a cornerstone of St. John’s path. Here’s some proof: After the interview for this story, he followed up with an email to share contacts for other articles, including his younger brother, a current CU student transferring to Leeds this fall.

That’s “Buffs looking out for Buffs” in action, which, for St. John, comes naturally.

Want to put your networking skills to work? Connect with the Leeds Career Development Office.

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