Maintaining good social relationships within the workplace was a top issue during the first Multicultural Student Leader Career Summit on Saturday.

MSU alumni met with students to share their experience and give advice on how to lead successful careers at the summit, held at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development, 3535 Forest Road in Lansing.

"One of the things (students) should be aware is that whatever they are getting into, they are getting into politics," said Daniel Soza, academic specialist at MSU's Office of Supportive Services, who led a workshop on workplace politics.

He defined workplace politics as the dynamics of social relationships. He said because each company has people with different backgrounds work together, it's important that students learn to deal with the multicultural setting.

Alumni panel members said workplace politics are unavoidable, but people shouldn't compromise their ethical standards to cope with them.

"You can go into the workplace and recognize politics, power," Soza said. "You can work along the power. But you also have to ask yourself a question - is that in conflict with your personal ethics? You've got to live with yourself. No job is worth selling my soul."

Lucy Nunez, loan officer at LaSalle Bank in Chicago, said during the alumni panel discussion she was once the only Hispanic woman in a workplace. She said excelling at work is a way to get respect and overcome such situations.

"I enjoyed it because I felt that alumni were trying to tell their personal stories," said Terrell Frazier, a social relations and journalism junior.

Madhvi Acharya, a career adviser for MSU's Office of Career Services & Placement, said students need to learn about workplace politics.

"They aren't taught anywhere and people just imply they know them," she said.

Nunez said many worksettings have yet to be diversified, and she was glad to see a diverse range of students present at the summit.

"Students here today will improve the situation one by one," she said.