From Campus Connections to a Career in AI: How Preston Schlagheck Turned Relationships into Opportunity
Originally from Connecticut, Preston Schlagheck chose USC because he wanted a college experience that offered both a strong campus community and the energy of a city. As a finance major with a concentration in business analytics, he initially came to USC with an interest in investment banking. But through his experiences at the Darla Moore School of Business, his interests began to shift toward technology, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.
Looking back, he says one of the most valuable parts of his USC experience has been the people he has met. “I would say the biggest thing is introductions to people. I've met a bunch of great professors and mentors”, Preston said.
Those connections have played a significant role in shaping his career. Through the Moore School, student organizations and other campus experiences, he built a network that introduced him to new opportunities and helped him explore different career paths. “The majority of the outreach and connections I have that led me to jobs have been from kids I've met in Darla,” Preston said.
The belief in the power of connection also led him to the South Carolina Internship Program (SCIP). He first learned about SCIP through a message shared with his business fraternity by a student who had participated in the program the previous year. After reaching out to learn more, he worked with his employer to complete the application process and secure a letter of recommendation. The experience became another step in a career journey that had already taken an unexpected turn.
During his freshman year, he and his roommate began exploring entrepreneurship. While he was studying finance, his roommate was learning to code. After seeing a website his roommate had built himself, he realized they could combine their skills. “I was like, ‘Okay, you might be on to something’”, Preston said.
The two began developing projects together, eventually turning their work into a consulting business. They completed several engagements and partnered with a startup to help build its technology.
Those experiences allowed him to develop skills outside of his finance coursework while also creating new professional connections. Eventually, the experience led to opportunities in AI automation and the startup world.
Today, he works full time for Mano Wellness, a startup focused on using technology and AI to make personalized wellness coaching more accessible. His role allows him to work across several areas of the company, including technology development, finance, operations and marketing.
For him, the opportunity to work in a startup environment has been especially valuable because of the responsibility and variety it provides.“Right now, I do a little bit of finance, a little bit of operations, a little bit of marketing, and the majority of tech development”, Preston said.
One of his most meaningful projects has been helping build the company's app for the App Store. The platform uses users' health and fitness data alongside coaching knowledge to provide personalized recommendations. He said, “To be able to be 20 years old and impact hundreds of users, soon to be thousands, through a job like this has been incredible.”
While his career has evolved significantly since arriving at USC, his experience has reinforced the importance of being willing to explore new opportunities and knowing where to find them.
For him, the Career Center represents another resource students can use to build the connections that can ultimately influence their careers. “The biggest thing that college can offer, in my opinion, is the connections that you make.” He believes students should take advantage of the resources available to them rather than waiting for opportunities to come to them.“I think the Career Center is just another layer on that. If you fail to take advantage of it, it's kind of a waste of a resource.”
His experience with SCIP demonstrates how one connection can lead to another. A message from a fellow student introduced him to SCIP. His experiences at the Moore School connected him with classmates, professors and mentors. His entrepreneurial work introduced him to startups and technology. Each relationship and opportunity helped him discover what could come next.
Today, his long-term goal is to continue working in the startup space and eventually make an impact on millions of users. “Whether that's through something that's my own, or something that I’m with a team of talented people on.”
For students considering SCIP or looking for ways to advance their own careers, his experience offers a simple takeaway: connect with people and take advantage of the resources around you.
His journey shows that career development does not always follow a straight path. Sometimes, the opportunity that changes your career begins with a conversation, a recommendation or simply reaching out and asking a question.
Through SCIP, his USC experience and the connections he has built along the way, he has been able to turn those conversations into opportunities and those opportunities into a growing career in technology and entrepreneurship.