Relational influence

When attorney Gene Hays ’94 returned to University of Redlands, he didn’t just revisit old classrooms — he revisited the turning points that shaped his career. After leaving the predictability of traditional legal work, Hays chose to build something of his own. As founder and CEO of Power Immigration Law, he created a firm defined by independence, purpose, and impact in the community. Looking back, he credits Redlands’ academic rigor and small class sizes with shaping the way he shows up in the courtroom today — prepared, analytical, and confident.

“I’m thankful to University of Redlands for the professors I had,” he said. “The comments I got back from tests taught me that I had to step up my game if I wanted to become an attorney. The quality of the instruction taught me to think and has been instrumental in how I analyze problems, forcing me to step up, be comfortable with my responses, and be prepared for each lecture, which is like being in court now.”

Hays was one of five alumni who returned to campus for the Black Excellence Showcase: Celebrating Alumni Achievement, a Black History Month event hosted by the Black Student, Faculty, Staff, Administrator, and Alumni Association (BSFSAA) in partnership with the Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD) and Office of Inclusion and Community (OIC). Moderated by Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations Skyler Duron, the evening highlighted professional journeys shaped by perseverance, purpose, and the distinct learning environment of Redlands.

Joining Hays on the panel were Dr. Arah Parker ’22 of Cal Poly Pomona, Joe Richardson ’94 of McCune Law Group, Laura Busolo ’17 of Esri, and Victor Moreira ’14 of the University of California, Riverside, who shared their own experiences and outcomes to empower current Bulldogs.

“The Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems (MSGIS) program was instrumental in preparing me for working on projects, which is a lot of what I do in my current role,” Busolo said. “Taking ownership of a project from start to finish and working with the customer was impactful and key to helping me get to where I wanted.”

Panelists continued to echo the direct translation from Redlands environment to professional success, described by Parker as, “a space to talk about real-world issues, how to solve them, and build confidence in our communities.”

An original member of BSFSAA, Parker leaned into community service and social justice while being a student at Redlands, grateful for the opportunity to “create space, be who we are, and grow.”

Moreira credited interdisciplinary learning for helping him understand and improve systems that serve students, and Richardson reflected on relational influence, urging students to show up daily with purpose and connection.

“Your relational influence comes from showing up every day,” he said. “It comes from going to work, being a team member, and embracing the mission regardless of what the people in the room look like. You’re going to find that people have a lot more in common with you than you thought, and people will sometimes come to you for answers.”

Beyond outcomes and career advice, the event reinforced a shared message: success is built not only on knowledge but also on resilience, preparation, and community.