Matthew Pinkney is a Falcon Success Story! A 2016 graduate from the University of Texas Permian Basin, Matthew earned his B.B.A. in Marketing. Just weeks after graduation, he landed a job with HEB. He is part of the prestigious HEB School of Retail Leadership program. Matthew was recently back on campus as a guest speaker for the UT Permian Basin Marketing Alumni Lecture Series. We asked him to share his thoughts on how the university prepared him for his career.
Q: Update us on your current professional path.
I have been training and executing store assignments in HEB's School of Retail Leadership (SORL) for a little over a year now. In two weeks, I will graduate from SORL to begin my role as an Operations Leader. I plan on becoming a Center Store or Perishable Director within the next 5 years. 
Q: What stands out about your years at UT Permian Basin?
Learning how to learn! Devouring textbooks temporarily added to my knowledge base, but applying what I learned to either school projects or
Q: What opportunities did you find at the university that prepared you for your career?
Joining the business club Enactus was one of the best things
Q: Tell us about some of the people you encountered at UT Permian Basin who impacted your life.
I don't know where I would be If I hadn't met Professor Michael Crain. I remember knocking on his office door for the first time. I was hungry to succeed but pretty lost. I truly cannot express my gratitude for his mentorship in business, education, and life. Professor Kurt Verlei also made a big impact in my life. His wise words even convinced me to switch my major from finance to marketing. I also enjoyed participating Dr. Lili Gai and Dr. Anshu Saran's business classes. Their lectures and projects were extremely engaging and beneficial.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome and how have they shaped your life?
The biggest challenge that I had to overcome was how I spent my free time. As a former video gamer, I used to waste countless hours staring at a TV screen. Yes, it temporarily provided gratification, but I wasn’t learning any skills that could bring value to the market? After this realization, I got rid of my gaming system and began devouring self-help books.
Q: What’s your advice for students who are hoping to follow in your footsteps and begin a great career after graduation?
Once you stop and genuinely ask yourself how you can provide immense value to others, opportunities will slowly begin to compound during and after college.
