Las Vegas

DEAR LMU How surprising it was when a fellow member of the alumni community recently contacted me to remind me of our five-year re- union this coming fall. And even more exciting is that it falls during the 100-year anniversary of our dear LMU. (Congratulations, LMU!) Time sure does seem to steal away.

After graduation in 2006, I moved back to Las Vegas, my hometown, and earned my law degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Rather than pursue the traditional route for law school graduates, I’ve applied my legal education to managing operations for one of my family’s companies that provides consulting for small business owners. I am so very fortunate, not only to have an occupation I believe in but to share the business operations intimately with my sister, grandfather and other family members on a daily basis.

What I find amazing since graduation is that my LMU experiences continue to impact my life. In my daily business decisions, I frequently think back to Mark Bandsuch, S.J., assistant professor in the College of Business Administration, whose courses on marketing and business law taught me much about operating a business, making ethical decisions, being creative with opportunities and, all the while, making a profit. Furthermore, when confronted with difficult people and problematic situations, I constantly use the skills I learned in student government and Greek life.

As time passes, however, the words that return to me are nuggets from former President Robert B. Lawton, S.J.: Awareness, being a fully alive human person, is how we experience the beauty of God and this life. Being in the present with the people around you is how you achieve genuine relationships. Develop the skills you were given and, in turn, share those gifts with others.

Las Vegas is blessed with a delightful LMU family. Alumni and families of LMU students have shown great support for the LMU National Day of Service as well as for the Lions during the annual WCC basketball tournament (Go Lions!). It truly is a testament to the fact that the LMU community continues to give, and not only in Los Angeles.

Megan Gibson O’Bannon ’06
Las Vegas