CBA Advantage
Newsletter

October 2025

CBA Advantage Week Recap

Thanks to everyone who participated in CBA Advantage Week! We received over 650 submissions over 5 activities that were available from Monday, Sept. 15 – Friday, Sept. 19. This is a 97% increase in participation from spring 2025!

Here are some results from the week’s activities:

170 students highlighted their transferable skills!
176 students provided feedback to the Undergraduate Programs & Student Engagement office!
132 students told us about an impactful LMU or CBA event!
164 students shared their CBA student organization experience!
See examples of students meeting members of the CBA student engagement team!

Angelli Kristine Castro with Amalia Calvillo, Academic & Student Engagement Advisor

Michael Shaker with Vanessa Jimenez, Administrative Coordinator

Zoe Chang with Jackie Leung, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Student Success

Congratulations to the following students for completing all five activities to earn this badge: Jacob Benson, Lindsey Boyenga, Zoe Chang, Caitlin Cosse, Natalia Del Castillo, Lucia Gutierrez, Alexander Hartley, Anthony Leong, Luke Levinson, Cedar Lientz, Sonali Lulla, Emma Martin, Kelly Martinez, Rachel Nagadipurna, Amin Nouri, Emily Perez, Sophia Rothstein, Regina Sanabria-Manjarrez, Aris Sarganis, Michael Shaker, Alejandra Taylor, Kristina Varlamova, Ruby Wall, Sophia Wattson, Jonah Weber, Grace Xiang, Alexandra Yeargin, Jadine Young, and Victoria Zamudio. As a bonus, these students are eligible to receive a limited-edition CBA Advantage crewneck sweater for their efforts! If you haven’t already, swing by Hilton 200 to claim your prize. Stay tuned for more opportunities like this in the future!

Explore New Digital Badges

We've launched two new digital badging opportunities through CBA Advantage. Completing these CBA Advantage “achievements” will allow you to earn virtual badges that highlight the skills learned as well as confirm your completion of a curated list of activities. Once a badge has been earned, it can be showcased through your Suitable e-portfolio and shared publicly on your LinkedIn page.

CBA has partnered with Indeed’s Job Search Academy leaders to help students successfully navigate the process of entering the job market. Through a series of interactive lessons, tools, and interactive insights, students can build a strong foundation to stand out in a competitive job market.

Complete all five workshops to earn the CBA Advantage: Job Search Academy badge! Students can earn 75 points for each activity completed as well as a bonus 50 points for completing all activities in this badge!

Discover your professional strengths with this badge! Gain insights into body language, communication, email tone and etiquette, listening, and time management. Learn how these skills can work together to strengthen your development as a business leader.

Complete all six workshops to earn the CBA Advantage: Business Skills Essentials badge! Students can earn up to 50 points for each section of this badge as well as earn a bonus 50 points for completing all activities in this badge!

To Get Started:

Select “achievements” from the Suitable homepage and click on the badge itself to load badge requirements. Once a badge has been earned, you will unlock sharing options!

If you have questions about CBA Advantage, including the badging opportunities, please reach out to CBAAdvising@lmu.edu.

Attention: Fall (December) 2025 Graduating Seniors

If you applied to receive your degree in fall (December) 2025, please check your Degree Works to confirm whether CBA Advantage is a requirement. If CBA Advantage appears on your Degree Works and is not completed (unchecked), please be sure to have your 2,000 points submitted to Suitable by Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. For questions, contact CBAAdvising@lmu.edu.

Asynchronous Activity Update

Over the summer, we retired a few asynchronous activities in the Suitable platform. These activities were either underutilized, addressed in curricular spaces, or reimagined into new opportunities. The following activities have been removed:

LinkedIn 500 Connections
Conduct an Informational Interview
Cover Letter Review by CPD
Create a Networking Plan
LinkedIn Learning: Personal Branding Workshop
YouTube Experience Set

Despite these removals, we are excited to share that new asynchronous activities have been added to the Suitable platform, offering fresh ways to engage and grow through CBA Advantage.

Upcoming Virtual Workshops

CBA Advantage Virtual Workshops are available for those who need a refresher on how to get started. You can always check the full schedule (and Zoom link) on our Get Started page of the CBA Advantage website.

The Zoom link for all workshops will be: https://lmula.zoom.us/j/82078998797

Enable Push Notifications

Push notifications are messages sent directly from our student engagement team to your Suitable app. We plan to use this feature periodically as another layer of communication with important reminders to students. To receive the notification, students need to download the Suitable app (this is a mobile-only feature) as well as enable their notifications (notification tab >> tap Turn On App Notifications). Don’t miss out on important reminders!

Recommended Tips for Submissions

When submitting a reflection to Suitable (written or video), here are some tips for a smooth approval process:

Check to ensure that your experience matches the activity post.
Read all instructions provided in the activity post, including any eligibility requirements.
Answer all prompted questions in entirety.
Meet minimum length requirements as stated in the prompt guidelines.
Ensure that your submissions are your own and reflect your authentic experience/voice.

We want to highlight that CBA Advantage is bound by LMU's Academic Honesty policy, much like curricular coursework would be and our review team will flag any submissions that may conflict with any of the above and follow-up with the appropriate parties, as necessary. This will cause a delay in the approval process for all submissions that need additional review.

Has Your Submission Been Denied? What Happens Next?

Students will receive an email notification for any submission that is denied as well as most approved submissions. Submissions that are denied will outline the reasoning behind the denial, and students will have the opportunity to correct their submission and resubmit on the Suitable app for the appropriate activity. Please be conscious of any submission deadlines associated with the original activity. Any questions about this process can be directed to CBAAdvising@lmu.edu.

ACTIVITY SPOTLIGHTS

As a reminder, please continue to check CBA Connect, CBA social media, and/or other CBA marketing channels to learn about CBA-wide events. Most CBA-wide events will also appear as CBA Advantage opportunities in the Suitable app. Here are a few upcoming events.

QR Code Activities

CBA Career Connections Office Hours
Professor Mitch Rufca is once again holding office hours in Hilton 102 on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 2 – 4 p.m. and by special appointment here. He can assist students with resume review, job search strategies, interview prep, networking skills, negotiations and more. Students can earn 40 points once per semester for this activity, regardless of how often they utilize office hours. The event host will have a QR code for students to scan.

LMU Real Estate Certificate Program
The LMU Real Estate Certificate Program equips students with conceptual, practical, and specialized skills and knowledge of various real estate topics. Led by industry professionals (primarily LMU alums), the program features a series of seminars that cover a variety of topics.

For each seminar, students can earn 50 CBA Advantage points. The program is open to all LMU students and held in the Hilton building. The seminars scheduled for this month are listed below. Learn more and register here.

Friday, Oct. 31 | Seminar 5: Wealth Creation Through 1031 Exchange

Task (Reflection) Activities

Syndication, Structuring, and Leverage in Commercial Real Estate
Thursday, Oct. 9 | 7 - 9 p.m. | Hilton 100 and Hilton Lobby | Register

Join us for a panel discussion and networking reception presented by the LMU Real Estate Advisory Council. Topics to be covered include investor entry, loan product selection, underwriting parameters, income growth awareness, risk allocation, trust building, and exit strategy. A networking reception will follow in the lobby. Earn 100 CBA Advantage points by submitting a short reflection after the event.

Cybersecurity Workforce Development and U.S. Competitiveness
Wednesday, Oct. 15 | 5 – 6 p.m. PT | Zoom | Register

In celebration of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, CIBE is organizing a webinar to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity featuring Carlos Miranda, LMU director of information security and compliance; Michael Melore, IBM senior associate partner; and Mario Perez, CSIS professor/network engineer, Los Angeles Community College District. The panelists will discuss key workforce development strategies, U.S. global competitiveness in the AI era, and how cyber professional preparation is key to enhancing national and economic security, managing risks, and enhancing international trade opportunities. Keith Clement, Fresno State professor of criminology, will moderate. A Q&A will follow. Earn 100 CBA Advantage points by submitting a short reflection after the event.

LMU Startup Weekend
October 17-19 | Register

Are you ready to think, work, and build like a startup in just 54 hours? Whether you have an idea you’ve been eager to bring to life or are simply curious about how startups operate, this immersive, action-packed event is for you. Over three dynamic days, you’ll team up with fellow students, entrepreneurs, and experts to tackle real-world problems, create business solutions, and develop a startup concept. You’ll get to work alongside some of the best mentors, investors, co-founders, and sponsors who are there to guide you through the process and help you accelerate your progress. Whether you’re a business student, tech enthusiast, or someone simply passionate about innovation, the LMU Startup Weekend is the perfect event to dive into the world of startups! Earn 225 CBA Advantage points by submitting a short reflection after the event.

Hilton Distinguished Entrepreneur Lecture: Dennis Parnagian
Wednesday, Oct. 29 | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. | Hilton 100 | Register

Dennis Parnagian is a visionary and entrepreneur with 50+ years of experience in business and leadership. In 1980, he became president of Fowler Packing Company, a produce company located in Fresno. Dennis, along with his three brothers, expanded the small farming operation to a powerhouse - growing, packing and shipping millions of boxes of citrus and nuts each year. Today, Fowler Packing includes 23,000 acres of farmland, approx. 4,000 employees, 1.5 million sq. ft. of packing and cold storage facilities, 3 million sq. ft. of industrial and manufacturing space, 1,200 apartment units, and a major shopping mall in Bakersfield. Dennis has dedicated his life to philanthropy, serving on many community boards that support the greatest needs of his community - healthcare, education, and food insecurity. Earn 100 CBA Advantage points by submitting a short reflection after the event.

Asynchronous Options (Task Activities)

Please Note: To search for ALL asynchronous options, please select “Activities” --> Select “All” from the categories listed --> Type “asynchronous” into the search bar.

Indeed | Job Search Academy Badge

Workshop 1: Seven Steps in a Successful Job Search – 75 points
Workshop 2: Ready Your Resume – 75 points
Workshop 3: Ace the Interview – 75 points
Workshop 4: Evaluating Opportunities & Negotiating Pay – 75 points
Workshop 5: Eight Strategies for Career Management – 75 points

Business Skills Essentials Badge

Body Language – 50 points
Communication – 50 points
Email Etiquette – 20 points
Email Tone – 20 points
Listening – 50 points
Time Management – 50 points

REMINDERS

CBA Advantage submissions are governed by LMU Academic Honesty policies. Our student engagement team personally reviews each entry submitted and will notify students if there is a suspected violation regarding their submission.
Enable push notifications in the Suitable App by selecting the notification tab and tapping “Turn on App Notifications.” This is a mobile-only feature – don’t miss out on important reminders!
Remember that file types allowed for submissions will be based on your device. Android & iOS supports JPEG/PNG Images, Video, Powerpoint, & PDF while the web version supports: JPEG/PNG Images, Powerpoint, PDF, Word Documents, Excel Spreadsheets, & Video (MP4, AVI, or MOV)
Expect CBA Advantage submissions to generally take two weeks to go through the approval process.
The only current requirement for CBA Advantage is that students reach a minimum of 2000-points in the Suitable App. It does not require a set number of points per competency area (for example: earning a minimum of 400 points for “Moral Courage”)
Suitable has a “Leaderboard” function to celebrate the students with the top points earned in the CBA Advantage program. Students are welcome to opt-out of participating in the leaderboard function by going to your account settings and selecting “scorecard information/details.”
If you are encountering technical difficulties with the Suitable app, please double-check that your app is operating on the most updated version
You can copy and share activity links using the desktop version of Suitable. For example: https://app.suitable.co/#/institution/404/activities/178592
Events are constantly being added to the Suitable app each week. If something you want to attend through CBA cannot be found in the Suitable app, we recommend waiting until closer to the event or e-mailing CBAAdvising@lmu.edu to double-check if the event will be offered for CBA Advantage points
By completing all activities in an Experience Set, you can earn additional points.
“Independent Work” submissions through your Suitable Portfolio are NOT eligible for CBA Advantage points. This feature of the Suitable App is useful for those who would like to add additional documents, unrelated to CBA Advantage activities, to their e-portfolio. All submissions for the CBA Advantage program must be submitted through the appropriate activity post.
We welcome suggestions from students regarding potential CBA Advantage opportunities! We are always curating new experiences, so encourage you to share your interests and how they could apply to this program!

CBA Advantage Website

Visit the CBA Advantage website for an overview of the program and its requirements. If you need a refresher or help getting started, visit the Get Started page for information on our synchronous and asynchronous workshops and training opportunities.

Questions?

We're here to support you in completing your CBA Advantage journey! Feel free to reach out to CBAAdvising@lmu.edu if you have further questions or if you wish to make an appointment with someone on the CBA Advantage team.