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Area leaders supply link to real-world possibilities for OU School of Business students

五个人摆姿势

日历图标2023年8月22日

铅笔的图标玛丽·甘德森-斯威策著

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365英国上市官网的新 驻院高管(EIR) 导师不仅仅是一个快速的人, 一次性的“给朋友打电话”资源, offering OU School of Business students exclusive individualized attention and professional insight to last them a lifetime.

EIR项目, offering business students direct access to mentorship with accomplished area business leaders, 从今年一月开始. The program was implemented under the inspiration of 工商管理学院 Dean Chuck Pierce.

我相信EIR项目的价值. 皮尔斯说, “and my vision is for OU to offer our business students an EIR experience that is unique. To reach our students in a way that best motivates them on their career paths, we provide them an opportunity to connect with the right business leader for them as individuals, 通过提供各种周到的选择.”

奥克兰商学院目前有12位EIR导师, 所有有成就的地区商业领袖(包括C-Suite高管). The mentors are a well-rounded group with diversity of professional experience, 年龄, 性, 和背景. 学生s are part of the process of matching up with a mentor most simpatico to their needs.

Program mentors are given the opportunity to give back to the community and stay connected with students and faculty at OU.

“The mentors are very busy people who graciously give their time to our students, and it’s also a good opportunity for the mentors to see what our students may be able to offer them, 就未来的雇员而言,” Dr. 皮尔斯说. “It’s a win/win/win – a win for OU, a win for our students, and a win for the business community.”

EIR导师/学员定期会面. 目标是培养一种友好, 可信赖的职业纽带, 同时接受商业和职业必需品, 包括:

  • 简历/信件的发展和完善
  • Career exploration and career path planning from first post-graduate job and beyond
  • 求职和面试策略
  • 应对职业相关的挑战
  • Guidance on internships and extracurricular activities that will enhance career development
  • 专业的社交建议

The overwhelming majority of first students in the program (91%) felt they received valuable advice and guidance for individual growth and career goals.

Two of this year’s mentors shared how their experience with the students was also rewarding for them.

开始了解你

Rhonda Patterson is the ever-busy North American platform planning and strategy man年龄r at Stellantis, a multinational automotive manufacturing corporation that got up-and-running in 2021. 她已经在旋转几个盘子了, running the gambit from cost containment measures – to reducing parts complexity – to supporting company teams – to training employees – when she was asked if she’d be a mentor for OU’s EIR program.

“是的”是她的直接回答,尽管她确实有过一次犹豫.

“The students would be about my son’s 年龄, so would they click with me – or was I too old?她笑着说.

帕特森说,那一点紧张很快就消散了, as her rapport with the students was “as comfortable as talking to a friend or neighbor.”

A large part of this ease can be attributed to the responsive tone she set and her flexible attitude.

“I simply asked each of the students what they wanted to get out of the program, 他们最需要我做什么, 然后我努力提供这些,她说。. “他们都希望每两周一次或每周一次的虚拟会议, 我当然习惯了, 我的老板现在在巴黎.”

帕特森说,她开始了解她的学员,既是学生,也是人.

“和我指导过的一个研究生, 我们都是黑人,都是女人, 我们可以在这些层面上用一种特殊的方式联系起来, 无论是个人还是职业,她说。. “还有她自己的家庭, 她在公开大学有一份全职工作,晚上上课, 所以我们谈了很多工作与生活的平衡, 除了她的事业方向.”

Another student was “so bright,她说。, but seemed to need a boost in confidence.

他的一个家庭成员在科技行业被解雇了, 他还担心自己未来的工作稳定性,帕特森说. “他会询问各种职业的安全性. When he asked for my input with a career-related homework assignment for OU, I took the opportunity to highlight all his strengths and had other confidence-building discussions with him.”

学生s also enjoyed talking to Patterson about current events; while at other times, 焦点完全转向了实际问题.

“One student just needed help with resume building and how to man年龄 LinkedIn,她说。.

整个夏天, 帕特森邀请她的学员们亲自见面, 喝咖啡或吃晚餐.

她说:“EIR的经历非常棒. “我真的很享受和学生们在一起的时光, 他们说这对他们非常有帮助, 是什么让它如此值得. They know I’ll be around for them in the fall, should any of them still need me.”

青年成功是他的事

斯科特Cieslak, 底特律制造系统公司(DMS)首席财务官,公开大学金融学院校友, 经常光顾他的老地盘成了习惯, checking to see if he can be of any assistance within OU’s School of Business.

接受邀请成为首批EIR导师之一, Cieslak找到了自己的定位, bringing 26 years of Tier 1 automotive experience to OU business students. He also brings a passion for giving back to others that exemplifies DMS’s founding philosophy of a “spirit of servanthood” toward the surrounding underserved community.

“EIR项目 has been an ideal way for me to both give career guidance to the students and serve as a conduit to the outside business community,他说.

切斯拉克在他的学员所在的地方会见他们——但总是亲自接见.

“One thing that’s important to me is that I meet with the students in person and away from my office,他解释道. “I don’t want to get distracted by what’s going on around me at work, or by my phone. 我希望能够完全专注于他们. 所以,我们通常早上或下午见面喝咖啡.”

Cieslak欣赏每一位公开大学学员的独特性.

“At our first meeting, one student jumped right in to ask how he could reach my level,Cieslak说. “他的(教育和职业)道路与我的非常相似, 所以我们一直有很多可以讨论的.”

另一个是他的“我有一个新想法”的学生, who wants to start his own business and enjoyed bouncing ideas off Cieslak.

The mentee that surprised Cieslak the most was a “good kid with potential,” who wants to find a job in Finance applying his analytical skills that he learned at OU. He openly shared with Cieslak about his ongoing tough environment and his challenges while growing up “practically in the backyard” of DMS.

“He told me that getting away to be a student at OU had been a good experience for him, 因为它给了他一个结构,他需要远离麻烦,Cieslak说.

感觉到这种结构仍然是需要的, Cieslak觉得有必要为他在DMS的面试提供便利, 争取实习机会. Cieslak didn’t call in any special favors for him – he had to earn the spot on his own.

“后来我接到了面试他的人的电话, 告诉我, “他很棒,我们给他提供了实习机会,’”Cieslak说. “这对我来说是一种回报.”

While the timeframe to help his first group of mentees may have officially ended, Cieslak向他们提供了终身合同.

“他们知道我是他们终生的联系人,”Cieslak说.

And like any good leader who remembers the past but looks toward the future, he adds: “If they have more OU business students for me to mentor this fall, 我准备好了.”

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