CAREER MANAGEMENT & RECRUITMENT: Mentor Program

The mission of the Willamette MBA's Mentor Program is to foster relationships between corporate leaders, alumni, and current students through exposure to real-world business environments. This program allows students to explore different industries, review career paths, and adjust personal goals. Mentors experience the opportunity to help students define their futures and, for alumni, further enhance their own MBA experience.

The Atkinson School Mentor Program matches students with experienced professionals for guidance and support. Students are paired with a business executive whose expertise closely matches their area of interest. Students enrolled in the Full-time MBA program are eligible to participate. Mentors provide the link between academic theories and the realities of the business world. We recruit mentors year-round, and generally match mentors and students in the Fall for the academic year.

Get involved through these activities and opportunities!

• Attend the Mentor Program Fall Reception
• Attend Atkinson School alumni events and community events with your mentor/student
• Communicate with your mentor/student at least once a month, preferably in person
• Provide feedback on progress of relationship with your mentor/student
• Explore shared business interests with your mentor/student

Roles and Responsibilities in Mentoring Relationships
Understanding what is expected of the mentor/student will lay the foundation for a successful relationship.

Mentor:

• Provide guidance based on past business experiences
• Expand the student's knowledge of your industry
• Share stories of past successes and failures
• Assist the student in career selection and with job search techniques
• Introduce the student to your network of business associates
• Provide opportunities for job shadowing
• Offer constructive criticism in a supportive way
• Communicate on a regular basis

Student:

• Initiate the relationship by contacting your assigned mentor
• Convey your expectations of the relationship
• Set objectives for each meeting with your mentor
• Establish open communication with your mentor
• Be flexible to accommodate your mentor's schedule
• Communicate on a regular basis

The Mentoring Relationship
The Mentor Program provides both the mentor and the student opportunities to develop lasting relationships from which both can benefit. Ideally, relationships extend beyond professional aspirations and develop into long-term personal friendships. Mentors provide students experiences in developing both professional and social relationships. This is accomplished through monthly interactions and events sponsored by the Atkinson School.