The five things (in no particular order) that I have learned about students this year

I am getting a jump start on my new year's resolutions and truly believe any self improvement or skill enhancement shouldn't be delayed by a specific calendar date. Therefore, I want to blog more consistently to sharpen my written skills for my dissertation (without criticism detailing my minimal competency level for that effort) and share experiences with professionals from a variety of industries (not just student affairs) in an effort to exchange information and improve my work. So, here it goes with an early blog for the new year, the five things I have learned from students this year.

5. Students are absolutely awful at marketing themselves for potential internships and/or employment opportunities
    I suppose that is a relatively blunt opening remark, but my recent work with students in leadership programs has provided support for that assertion. I advise the senior class in a four year leadership/scholarship program and one of their requirements is to submit a resume to me for review and and edited and let's just say they are a bit underwhelming. Students just aren't thinking about what makes them attractive to  potential employers. Resumes are full of grocery style lists that rely on significant interpretation of the reader to decipher value and worth. I have a red pin that I use to make suggestions and edits and many times students leave with more red than black ink on paper. However, the goal is not to demonstrate my significant knowledge to these students and leave them with a deflated sense of worth, but actually the complete opposite. You have skills. You have experience. You have worth, but this piece of crap won't get you anywhere. This whole exercise (our work) is for not if students can't market themselves to get to the next level.
  Student affairs professionals this may add more work to our already long list of obligations, but ask to see your student resumes, portfolios,..whatever they are using to create that next opportunity. I know there are other departments that perform this service, but sometimes the feedback from a trusted advisor who comprehends the value of co-curricular involvement and has experienced a student's development, will go further and have more impact then a drop by to the career services office. I am not saying do not use these offices or professionals, but our feedback adds depth and clarity that students probably won't get anywhere else. I truly believe it is another form of advising we all most adopt at some level and trust me you will be amazed how bad they suck :), but we can make a difference and improvement there.

Tomorrow or the next day - Most of these students are smarter than me and I am okay with that.

The value of leadership programs

Dr. Taylor is a partner of mine with Leadership programs at the University of Memphis. He oversees the MILE program, which is a mentor program in the Fogelman College of Business and he shared this story with the advisory board and the 2011 mentor program. It demonstrates the impact leadership programs can have with a particular  focus on students creating connections with professionals supporting their growth and network. We have two mentor programs on campus: the MILE program and Professional Mentor Program which supports students who aren't business majors. We are always looking for more engagement from students and professionals, because the value is evident for all involved. Stay tuned for future stories like these.

 

http://www.memphis.edu/fcbe/pdfs/business_community/MILE_2008_09_info_packet.pdf

http://www.memphis.edu/leadership_programs/professional_mentor.php

Hi Mentors for 2011-2012

Mostly I get these kinds of unsolicited feedback comments verbally when I run into a former protégé from the MILE Program.  Allan Fisher was kind enough to put it into writing, so I thought I would share his email below with you.  I think most of you already know this,  but I just want to herein again reinforce how very important and valuable your work is with our students. In so many ways your efforts result in constructive life changes for your protégés.  Some are quite dramatic as was the case with Allan, while others are more subtle or evolve over time. Just know that what you do has an impact, and that every bit of effort you put into the mentoring role is meaningful to your protégé.   

I hope you are looking forward to the coming year, anxious to get to meet and know your student, and excited about the opportunity to be a positive influence in life of one of Memphis’ future leaders.

Take care.

Bob Taylor

Dr. Robert R. Taylor, Chair

Dr. Bob,

My name is Allan Fisher and I was a protege in the MILE class for 2010.  I was walking down the hall in FCBE one afternoon when a student asked me if I were interested in a mentor/protege program with the University. I can not recall his name but he was very outgoing and had me instantly hooked.  I attended the information session, interview and was was accepted into the program.  I was paired with the BEST mentor possible, Lois Rainey who was a Manager in FedEx Services.  At the time I was a FedEx Express employee in the Memphis Hub working my way through school.  Lois took me under her wing and introduced me to countless people within her group and helped me create relationships with people across the FedEx Operating companies.  

Fast forward to today.....

I am currently at my second day being a Business Systems Analyst within FedEx Express doing Lifecycle Management out at The FedEx World Headquarters.  Lois helped me make the connection to get this job by introducing Cliff Bumpers, a vendor for FedEx, supplying Motorola products. When I went into the interview the first questioned my new manager asked "what did you do to prepare for the interview?".  I said I had lunch with your vendor to get a prospective of their role within FedEx.  When I signed my offer letter my new manager said I got the job because I went the extra mile to meet with her vendors.

MILE played a huge part in getting my foot in the door at FedEx.  Lois coached me in interview techniques, answered my frantic questions late in the evenings, sent me job postings for FedEx, and overall was a huge guiding light in my transition from college to the workforce.  I want to thank you all for all the hard work you put into the MILE program.  I am a perfect example why the MILE program works!!!!!!!!!!

Please let me know if I can help with any future MILE classes.

Thanks,

Allan Fisher

connecting the dots

I am in the midst of my dissertation research (well taking a bit of break) and  my focus is on qualitative research, which can bring light to why and how decisions are made. My potential subject is how students develop a leadership identity within greek life experiences, branching from the work of Susan Komives. Komives' research is on a broad range of co-curricular opportunities, I thought it might be interesting to hone in one a specific experience and what may be unique to that engagement and its support of leadership identity development. What I discovered the other day was how my initial research can now make connections to other areas. 

I was attending a meeting of the Association of Fundraising Professionals the other day (never thought my career would lead to that) and the presenter was discussing generation of givers which included the Millennials. I would add on the front end that every presenter indicates these are broad and probably grossly extended generalizations of a generation's habits and behaviors, but her content particular struck me because it related to some of my initial research efforts. The presenter Alice Ferris (http://twitter.com/#!/aliceferris) discussed how important peer recommendation/references was to this generation and was supported through social media and electronic connection in general. Well, at that point it struck me how that became apparent in the initial coding (super novice at this) of my data study in how students develop their leadership identity in greek life.

Each student I interview discussed the importance of having a peer recommend them for a leadership position. Some came from little to no experience in high school and therefore having a peer recognizing their talents was especially impactful because it was a new and uplifting experience. Other discussed how much of a privilege they thought it was to have senior leader/role model recommend them. Each student acknowledge they would never had taken that next step had it not been for that nudge or expression of support. It made me rethink how we might advise students leaders to be very intentional in identifying future leadership for their chapters or organizations because at least my small sliver of data indicated it was a crucial for step for students assuming those roles. However, what struck me at that AFP presentation was how much that data can transcend experiences or different areas.

Now that I know peer recognition is very important to millenials (though this generation seems to be moving into another one) in co-curricular undergraduate experiences, I may need to rethink how that will work in alumni connections and supports of program for this generation. Can I get alums to recommend other alums to give/support? How do I get this to happen and in what format? Did I need to create a separate council of generation leaders to build a connection that they are seeking and will give support to?

Interesting questions that I do not know the answers to yet, but will let you know when I hopefully connect the dots.

Lord Help me

Never thought I would blog, but find myself thinking about things that may be of interest to other folks. Hope you read, hope you find it amusing and share your comments at any time

Justin Lawhead