Craig Lundgren, Business Development Representative at NOW CFO
Dear Clemson,
My name is Craig Lundgren, Business Development Representative at NOW CFO—an accounting and finance firm. As a Clemson alum, the most accessible way to show my support and loyalty is through athletics. It’s a fun way to catch-up with friends and celebrate our mutual connection to Clemson. For the most part, this is an internal exercise since most of the attendees already have a direct connection to the University. However, it is an incredibly powerful way for the University to stay connected with its alumni and to promote the school.
Clemson knows their success relies on their alumni base. As alumni, one of the greatest contributions we can all make to the University is access to our personal and business networks. Each one of us has a unique and diverse network. If mined strategically, within those networks are the relevant and pivotable connections that are needed to advance the research being performed at Clemson.
The Clemson University Research Foundation (CURF) has been my go-to resource for what’s happening at Clemson University. CURF does a masterful job at presenting research and innovative developments happening at Clemson in a digestible way. It is both accessible and engaging. This has made it easy to understand how certain projects at Clemson are relevant to companies and organizations within my network. What’s more, is the ease with which I can facilitate the introductions. Consider how simple it is to forward a post or an article to a colleague, client, or friend, with a note saying how I thought this would be applicable to their industry or to whatever challenge they are facing. It takes just a few minutes. On the occasions when my recipients have wanted to learn more, I contacted CURF, and they responded quickly to provide additional information, or to coordinate a meeting.
I encourage my fellow Clemson alums to find a way to get involved, as we all play a role in this. For me, as an alum and a resident of South Carolina, I take great pride in the research at Clemson and am continually looking for opportunities to promote the work being done here. I believe strongly that there are many thousands of alumni who do the same or who could be doing the same.
While my ask to Clemson alumni is to support CURF’s initiative to expand their marketing outreach, which is a catalyst for alumni engagement, I also challenge current Clemson innovators and inventors to showcase their research by answering the following questions:
- What led you to this research?
- What problem are you trying to solve?
- What have you learned in the process?
- What are the applications or potential applications?
- How can this research advance further to benefit the public?
These questions will help you engage a larger audience. For industry, a technology that can show WHY it is needed in an intended market makes the most impact. I am excited to continue providing research support to you all and stand at the ready to assist you with moving your research forward through mentorship and industry guidance.
In this new year, I encourage both Clemson alumni and research faculty to get involved and take advantage of the mentorship and collaboration resource CURF has to offer by connecting through their Innovation Network. Designed to promote innovative research through creating collaborative partnerships between Clemson researchers and alumni, The Innovation Network represents a place where faculty and student researchers can build lasting relationships with alumni that will help further develop research.
For more information on this program, click here.
Go Tigers!
Craig
