This past fall semester marked the start of a successful alumni-to-student mentorship program at the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business. BADM 100 freshmen were divided into mentor groups that grouped seven or eight freshmen with one upperclassman peer leader. Using their training to lead small group discussion, the upperclassmen took on the role of supporting the freshmen in their transition from high school to college and helped them apply lecture material to real-world scenarios.
For alumni mentors, the program meant committing to two 30-minute virtual meetings with these student groups over the course of the semester. Each group held a virtual meeting in mid-September to meet and talk about the college to work force transition. In mid-October, they met again to get mentor feedback on their group project – designing a food truck business strategy. Alumni were also invited to attend the students’ mid-term presentation in October and final presentation in late November.
More than twenty alumni participated in the program, far exceeding the amount needed to coach BADM 100 students, so the program was expanded to reach BADM 200 students as well. Senior BADM 100 Peer Mentor Victoria Stotz appreciated the outside perspective offering advice and guidance from her group’s mentor, Kendal Dobra (Trust, ’08).
“Kendal was able to connect and engage with freshman via FaceTime and phone calls. They were stuck in the brainstorming process for a while and our conversations helped move the project forward in big strides,” said Stotz. “She helped them cement ideas and articulate their thoughts on mission, purpose and vision. I also think it was beneficial to hear about her Campbell journey, her career path and her success in the workplace. Students got an idea of what’s possible for them post-graduation.”
Alumni mentor Rachael Register (Marketing, ’17) found the experience fulfilling as well.
“Being an alumni student mentor was such a wonderful opportunity to give back to the business school,” she said. “I took the opportunity to share my experiences at Campbell and how they led me to where I am today in my career. It was fun to joke about the stress of certain courses (Corporate Finance), but it really was a great opportunity to explain how the simple tasks the students are doing today will play out in their professional lives. Whether it was sharing my story or hearing theirs, both stories have one thing in common…we are camels.”
If you are interested in becoming an Alumni Virtual Mentor or other volunteer opportunities at the Business School, contact Jill Williamson, jwilliamson@campbell.edu.