UIC students, alums find their voices on ‘Map Left Behind’

When UIC Business lecturer and alumnus Mel Diaz envisioned "Map Left Behind," he wanted to create something he wished he had as a student: a roadmap.

The new podcast, hosted by Diaz, gives UIC students, alums, business professionals and corporate leaders a platform to share the experiences, challenges and lessons that have shaped their lives and careers. For Diaz, those conversations are more than stories - they are opportunities to help the next generation navigate their own paths with a little more confidence.

"If we all took the time to share our personal road maps/life experience with the next person following us, we can make their paths just a little bit easier," said Diaz, who received his Bachelor of Science in Management and an MBA from UIC.

Drawing on his experiences as a former UIC student and retired corporate executive, Diaz wanted to give students the guidance he wished he had received. When he returned to UIC to teach in 2023, his conversations with students inspired him to expand the dialogue beyond his classroom.

"I remember how alone and lost I felt at times during my undergraduate days and journey through corporate America," said Diaz, who teaches Introduction to Sales and Executives in the Classroom. "These stories are important life lessons and provide a sense of guidance to the next generation of young people."

That next generation is now helping tell those stories.

Senior Cydnee Baylis, a music business major with a minor in marketing, initially volunteered for the project to provide a student perspective. She never expected the opportunity to become a job - or that she would become the podcast's producer and primary editor.

When Diaz asked her to become his partner on the project in March, Baylis embraced the opportunity. She taught herself how to edit in Adobe Premiere, developed new professional skills and began connecting with executive-level guests.

The podcast has provided Baylis an opportunity to develop professional skills while demonstrating the value of trusting her instincts, even when she doesn't have all the answers.

"The only experience I had editing a podcast prior to this was from my music cultures course sophomore year and a music technology course," she said. "But I knew how hard I could work, and I knew how much it meant to me, and how much it would mean to my fellow students."

The experience has challenged her, but it has also changed how she sees herself.

"Take a chance on yourself," Baylis said. "You don't always need to be 100% prepared; it's OK to grow and learn along the way."

Through the voices of students, alums and leaders, "Map Left Behind" is building a collection of stories designed to help others find their way, and reminding UIC students like Baylis that sometimes the best way forward is simply to take the chance.

Listen to the podcast.

- Erin Brophy Lunz, UIC Business