{"id":514732,"date":"2024-11-22T10:10:56","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T15:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/magazine\/?p=514732"},"modified":"2025-05-02T14:11:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T18:11:34","slug":"making-a-path-to-the-corporate-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/magazine\/making-a-path-to-the-corporate-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Making a Path to the Corporate World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Poole College senior Yvonne Mbugua initially considered an engineering major at NC State. But she changed her mind after learning of the broad opportunities that business offers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to have as many options as possible with one degree,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I liked the thought of having a community at Poole that was really geared toward supporting students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That support has grown even stronger with the new Elevate Career Mentorship Program for Poole undergraduates. Students take a close look at their potential career interest by pairing for a year with a mentor who is a leader in the same field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That deep dive has opened up a world of opportunities for Mbugua and other students accepted into the program through an application process.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re offering high-impact mentorship relationships with C-suite executives that inspire students to explore a variety of career paths,\u201d says Julie Cline, Poole assistant director of undergraduate career services. \u201cConnecting students with established mentors is really helpful. They see what seasoned executives have done, and they realize that\u2019s a possible journey for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\n

\u201cConnecting students with established mentors is really helpful. They see what seasoned executives have done, and they realize that\u2019s a possible journey for them.\u201d
\u2013Julie Cline<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The program is a collaboration of the Poole College Advisory Board, the Poole College Student Advisory Board, Poole\u2019s career services office, and the Department of Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. After a trial version last spring, the current expanded program includes 100 students and 50 mentors in a variety of industries.       <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gaining a Head Start<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When hiring recent college graduates for full-time jobs, some businesses prioritize students who interned with the company. So it\u2019s important for students to apply for internships early. Poole\u2019s mentorship program helps them keep their career track in focus.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s significant evidence that shows the more mentoring you do, it cues students to the desired behaviors to turn their academic success into career success,\u201d says Vikas Anand, Poole\u2019s associate dean for academic programs. \u201cThey should be thinking about career management right from the day they start a Poole program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students in the mentorship program gain a head start on networking and marketing their skills for a smoother transition from college to career.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about making students realize they belong in the corporate world,\u201d Anand says, \u201cand helping them find a path to get there.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about making students realize they belong in the corporate world, and helping them find a path to get there.\u201d
\u2013Vikas Anand<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Mbugua, one of 75 students in the program last year, got clarity about her path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the program began, \u201cI was at a place where I wasn\u2019t sure where I wanted my career to go. I felt like I wanted more exposure to the industry but wasn\u2019t sure in what direction,\u201d says Mbugua, who\u2019s leaning toward a finance career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had had two valuable internships in investment banking and financial technology. \u201cBut I wanted to know what more was out there and didn\u2019t know what to pivot to,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also preferred a mentor who was a Poole graduate. Enter Ashu Vats, a 2008 finance and marketing graduate who mentored Mbugua and two other students last year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving someone who\u2019s been about 15 years in the industry I wanted to be in and getting his feedback on how to move forward\u2026gave me more insight into how I could navigate that properly,\u201d says Mbugua, who is pursuing a business concentration in information technology and a minor in accounting.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Program Mechanics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The mentoring program provides a structured framework that helps mentors guide students in their career navigation. Mentors and mentees meet monthly to discuss specific themes, including career exploration through speed networking, business communications, career fair preparation and developing a personal brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An important component after each meeting is mentee assignments, such as conducting a practice interview and expanding a student\u2019s network by connecting with a mentor\u2019s business contacts. There\u2019s also a Think, Do, Innovate project in which students work as consultants with their mentor to solve a business problem in the mentor\u2019s industry.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n \n
\n \n\n
\"One
Yvonne Mbgugua and Ashu Vats meet on campus as part of \nthe Elevate Career Mentorship Program for Poole undergraduates.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s so much going on in a student\u2019s life. Sometimes that can be overwhelming,\u201d Cline says. \u201cThe structure gives them the ability to focus on what they\u2019re doing in the mentorship program each month. They continue to build on that experience with their mentor, so it will lead to an end result of their choosing.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with students, mentors also apply to the program. Chosen mentors then have an orientation with Cline and other Poole staff members and receive support as needed throughout the program. Mentees and mentors are carefully paired based on a similar career interest or a specific role, such as a CEO, to which a student aspires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poole staffers monitor progress between mentors and mentees with a questionnaire and evaluations during the program, which kicks off and ends with a luncheon for all participants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scenes From Our First Mentorship Luncheon<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
\n \n \"two\n <\/button>\n \n \"two\n <\/button>\n \n \"one\n <\/button>\n \n \"two\n <\/button>\n \n \"two\n <\/button>\n \n \"one\n <\/button>\n \n \"one\n <\/button>\n \n \"one\n <\/button>\n \n \"one\n <\/button>\n \n \"one\n <\/button>\n \n \"one\n <\/button>\n \n \"table\n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n