“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” — John Crosby
From attending the information session for the 1:1 Mentorship Program as part of the professional development program, I was able to learn about an aspect of The Villanova School of Business that I had not previously known about. The 1:1 Mentorship Program offered by the Villanova School of Business provides a student with a connection to an alumnus in their field of study. Students are able to communicate with their mentors both through face-to-face interactions and technological means. In addition to communicating with a mentor, there are also events held for students and mentors to attend to be able to get to know your mentor. There were many positives to joining this program that were expressed through facts and stories by the paneled guests. Some positives include asking questions of someone who has experience in where you want to work, feeling more prepared to interview with a company, have a connection in the working world, and many more.
From the mentor perspective this program is very beneficial because they are able to use their knowledge and experience to help someone younger in a field they are passionate about. As for the mentee, they are able to ask any questions they might have and receive guidance for what they may be doing for the rest of their life.
Specifically, Bob Olsen ’86 joined to use his experience to help a mentee grow and learn and get as far as they can in the working world. He also likes to be apart of the program to stay connected to the Villanova community. From the other perspective, Nicolle Hughes ’20 has experience in the accounting field, but did not know what part of accounting she specifically wanted to go into her. Her mentor had knowledge in many areas of accounting and was able to provide her with information about different jobs. He also helped her prepare for job interviews by having her participate in mock interviews to feel more confident.
In the first couple of meetings Bob sets up a few questions to learn what the mentee wants to get out of their relationship. Then, once he has an idea of what the mentee wants to get out of it, he tries to help them out as much as he can. For example, Bob’s mentee wanted to learn how to network and what to do when reaching out to someone in the working world. Bob also helped his mentee by using his own network to expand his mentee’s network.
Overall, the program provides students with a foundation to exceed in their major at Villanova and when they enter the working world while enhancing their network. It is easy to apply for and potentially has life-long benefits. It is an opportunity that should not be passed up in for a student in the Villanova School of Business.
Jane McAleese 