Active Alumni Involvement:

César Guerra de León, MPA’06, Bachelor in Finance and Accounting, Tecnológico de Monterrey, ’07 (joint academic program)
Property, Plant and Equipment Senior Financial Analyst, General Motors

As a member of the McCombs Alumni Advisory Board and mentor to students in the Texas MPA/Tecnológico de Monterrey joint academic program, César Guerra de León is a perennially enthusiastic MPA advocate. In January, 2009, he and other international MPA alumni participated in a conference call with current students from Mexico, Taiwan, China, Germany, Vietnam, India and Turkey to answer questions and give them insight regarding the job search and the U.S. work environment.

"I strongly believe that well-informed students are able to take bigger advantage of all the resources the MPA program has to offer," Guerra says. Originally from Mexico, Guerra has stateside work experience and a unique perspective to share. "I want to give students a head start on their careers, even before they accept a job offer," he explains. Michelle Polkinghorn, MPA career consultant, also sees alumni as a vital career resource for students. "Every year, our MPA International Connection members inquire about ways to connect with alumni. They appreciate the opportunity to learn from those who were once in their shoes, and are greatly encouraged by the success stories," she says.

Getting the chance to meet new students and being a part of their educational experience is another motivating force behind Guerra’s participation. He says, "I am deeply thankful to the Texas MPA program and I see my involvement as one small way of giving back to the program and the university."