Mentoring to Prepare Students for Lifelong Success: Keeping the End in Mind

Oluwarotimi OdehAgricultural Studies

October 23, 2015

Purpose

• Need to solidify post-graduation connections between students and faculty, and alumni

• Enhance connections between students and industry professionals to improve internships and job placements

• Improve graduation rate

Process

• Key activities– Course Revision/Redesign

• Fall 2014• Professional Development Activities• Joint Activities/Mentoring

– Classroom activities: Professional Development• 4:00-5:00pm on December 1, 2014

– Mock Networking Event• 4:30-6:00pm on February 27, 2015

– Fertile Ground Mixer (Partner: WAME)• 9-11:30am on April 25, 2015

– Annual Appreciation Reception• May 6, 2015• Parents and Spouses• Scholarship Awards ceremony

End Result

What happened?– Alumni Mentor Database

Revision/update– Stronger relationships between alumni,

students, and faculty– Job shadowing and paid internship

placements– Increase job placement in agricultural

industry– Industry partnership: Women in

Agriculture for Mentoring and Empowerment (WAME)

– Establishment of Meet & Greet Event

End Result

• What assessment methods were used? – Creation of an alumni database– Attendance logs– Event Survey– Senior Exit Survey– Alumni Survey

End Result

• Did your process increase student success?– Job placements on/before graduation: Over 90%

• (Other contributing factors)

– Internship placements: 100% • (Other contributing factors)

– Better engagement in career preparatory activities and events

– Industry Feedback and interest in program/students

Lessons Learned

• What lessons were learned?– Need to continue build on the success– Students as a resource– Alumni Resource

• What advice can you share with others? – Need for a professional development course – Alumni pool is a great resource for a variety of

reasons• Vested interest• Mentors• Network• Fundraising• Job Shadowing• Internships• Job placements

Lessons Learned

• Next steps to continuously improve?

– Annual update of alumni database

– Periodic communication with alumni

– Improve industry engagement in activities and events

– A stronger student organization

– Improve connection to/interest in post-graduate programs