Lead. Engage. Advise. Discover.
The Old Dominion University Strome College of Business Lead. Engage. Advise. Discover. (LEAD) Mentor Program partners high-achieving undergraduate business students with professionals, entrepreneurs, and public sector leaders. Mentors work with their students to foster the development of strategies for academic, professional, and social success. Key components of the program include personal growth and professional networking. The primary goal of the SCB LEAD Mentor Program is the development of confident graduates with exceptional leadership, critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and interpersonal skills. Daniel Osborne, who has been a mentored by Strome's Major Gift Officer, Michael Walker, spoke with us about the impact the program has had on his professional development.
I joined the mentorship program after I saw it mentioned in an email I had received from the school, and I decided to apply. I was interested in a mentorship program because I still wasn't sure what my goals were after graduation, and I wanted some sort of guidance through the process of transitioning from a student to a professional. The student organization I participate in had been helping up to that point, but rather than having a different speaker each week presenting on general topics, I wanted to be able to meet with the same person each week and to have one on one conversations about my personal goals, so I could get my more specific questions answered. My mentorship experience has had an immense impact on me personally, but I think overall the most important impact is that I feel more confident in the career I've decided to pursue after graduating. I feel more confident and prepared because of the meetings my mentor set up for me with professionals from various work backgrounds. The insight I gained from those conversations helped me understand what working in their careers would be like much better than the research I was ever able to do online.
The advice that I would give to someone seeking a mentor is to keep an eye out for programs like LEAD. If you're able to find a mentor, you should come up with some goals to work towards with them. I would also suggest you ask your mentor to introduce you to some of their colleagues, or if you're interested in a certain line of work ask them if they know anyone works in that field.
Walker had this to say, "My experience serving as a mentor for Daniel in the LEAD program has been very rewarding. Daniel is an excellent student, and it has been a pleasure getting to know him. He was committed to our regularly scheduled meetings and the goals he set for himself. It has been a privilege to offer guidance and support and to observe him achieve career plans and develop personal skills. We look forward to keeping in contact after he graduates."
Being a LEAD Mentor provides an opportunity to share personal and professional experiences, knowledge, and skills with an ODU SCB undergraduate student who is preparing to enter the business world or public/non-profit sector. Participants serve as mentors and role models with the goal of promoting their mentee's personal and professional growth. Through this program, mentors can positively impact the next generation of leaders.
The LEAD Mentor Program is open to declared undergraduate business majors with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Ideally, the student will have a minimum of two semesters remaining before their scheduled graduation. Students may be enrolled full- or part-time and may be local or distance learning students. Continuation in the program requires that mentees maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
For more information on how you and others in your company or organization can become an SCB LEAD Program Mentor and support ODU students through this unique Program, please contact:
Dr. Constance Merriman, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs 2012 Constant Hall Office: 757-683-6548
