The next time you are shopping at Westfield Shoppingtown in Cape Girardeau, Mo., you stand a good chance of running into Southeast alumnus Paul Dobbins.  Paul is a Cape Girardeau native and graduated from Southeast in May of 2003 with a degree in management information systems and marketing.  He recently relocated from the St. Louis area after working as assistant manager at Westfield Shoppingtown Mid Rivers to accept the general manager position at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.  Paul’s position allows him to be involved in every aspect of the Shoppingtown, from accounting and marketing to operations.  Paul even works with the regional leasing and development departments based in St. Louis.

“No day is ever the same in my position, which definitely serves as an advantage in my case, since I don’t enjoy repetition,” he said.  “Strategic planning and leading a dedicated team of people towards our goals is probably the most rewarding aspect of my job.”

Paul’s time at Southeast contributed to his current success in many ways.  Attending a university that offered smaller class sizes and closer interaction with peers and professors was something Paul wanted in his education.  But what attracted him most to the campus was the outstanding scholarship program and the Harrison College of Business.

“I looked at Truman and Mizzou, but they could not offer the small class sizes, quality scholarships and the overall experience I was looking for in a university,” he said.

Being active outside the classroom was also important to Paul, and while at Southeast, he involved himself in programs such as Emerging Leaders, Student Government and the Sigma Nu fraternity.  He also spent his college career working in the University Relations office, assisting the University with Web development.  Together, these activities taught Paul the importance of building relationships and working together as a team—something he uses everyday in his work.  He continues with his leadership training by attending programs on the corporate and government level as a way to build on what he learned in Emerging Leaders.  He says the real-world experiences discovered through Southeast made his transition from college into the job market easier than expected.

College was not all about studying for Paul, and while at Southeast he made many lasting friendships.  The first few weeks of each fall semester, Homecoming weekends and Southeast basketball games were always a favorite way for him to meet new friends. 

"It was always great to meet so many new friends during that time,” he said.  “I never knew if the next person I met would become a lifelong friend.”

He also met his future wife, Stacey, during the summer of 2001.  Their relationship is something Paul feels is much more important than any job he will ever have.

When Paul is not hard at work he enjoys traveling to major cities like New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Boston.  He eventually would like to travel to Australia to visit Westfield’s world headquarters and explore the Outback.  Although traveling is fun, he enjoys returning to a smaller town.

While in St. Louis, Paul liked to play softball with several other Southeast graduates.  He also considers himself an avid poker player and is very excited about how much popularity it has gained since he graduated.

Paul has been through some great experiences thanks to his time at Southeast.  He advises students to get involved on campus because you will learn just as much outside the classroom as inside it.  Students should also develop a resume, network and take classes outside of their major.

“Don’t be too one-dimensional,” he said.  “Find something you’ve always wanted to study that might be outside of your major and take a course in it while you are still in college because you might not have time for it once you start your career.” 

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