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THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTORING

The Universitys longest-running and largest mentor program enters its 30th year

BY SARAH HOWARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK VANCLEAVE


8 Murphy Reporter FALL 2012

SJMC student Joseph Fishbeck with his mentor Tad Johnson, managing editor of Sun Thisweek newspapers

Imagine youre entering your senior year at the University of Minnesota. Youre finishing your classes and graduation is in sight. You have an internship or two under your belt, but whats next? For many, the thought of entering the job market and picking a career path is daunting. Where do you turn? For 30 years, the SJMC Alumni Society Board Mentor Program has paired SJMC juniors and seniors with Twin Cities professionals in the journalism and mass communication fields to help answer these questions and assist with the transition into the real world. In 1982, then-SJMC Alumni Society Board president Carol Pine (B.A., 67), who is now owner of Pine & Partners, saw the need for mentors to guide SJMC majors. I had this interest in mentoring and saw how important it was in peoples careers, she said. The program kicked-off in 1983 with nine alumni mentors, but it grew quickly. Soon the board had to recruit outside of the alumni network. When we started seeking more mentors, many of whom werent alumni, the most gratifying part was when we explained the program and its importance, not a single person turned us down, she said. The program grew quickly because it touched a nerve, Pine said. For students, it was something they wanted and needed, that senior person who can advise them. For mentors, it was the perfect way to not only give back to the school, but to give back to the profession.

Today, the year-long program has between 50 to 70 student participants and the network of professionals who have served as mentors is well into the hundreds. Many who were mentored as students return to serve as mentors years later. When I was a senior at SJMC, I was paired with Nicole Reichert at Cargill, said Sarah Dubois (B.A., 09), now an account executive at Fleishman-Hillard and a 2012-2013 mentor. She provided me insight into the public relations industry from a professional perspective. Having a mentor gave me added confidence to help determine what area of public relations I wanted to pursue. I wanted to give back and provide this insight to another student. When it comes to SJMCs mentor program, that spirit of giving back is strong. In 2012, SJMC put out a call for alumni mentor program volunteers and received nearly 100 responses from professionals willing to donate their time to SJMC majors. Every single one of us remembers the difference mentors made in our own lives, Pine said. Students need that professional in their corner. To participate in the program, SJMC juniors and seniors attend a mandatory information session and complete an in-depth application, which asks the students what theyd like in a mentor and where they see their career going. Next, the SJMC Alumni Society Board steps in. Board members painstakingly go through the applications and help pair

the students with professionals in their networks. Once the matches are made, the students and mentors attend a kick-off event to meet for the first time, talk about their goals and set up future meetings. But there are limitations. From the programs inception, three expectations have been constant: The program has a beginning and an end (but mentors and students may choose to continue their relationship outside of the program); the mentors and students must meet a minimum number of times; and the programs intent is not solely to find a job for the student. The program has lasted because everybody who has run it along the way has been conscious of the ground rules, said Pine. For many students, mentors provide guidance and can help steer the direction of their careers. [My mentor] helped me decide what specific path I wanted to take in the advertising world, said Chad Kluge (B.A., 12), an assistant engagement planner at Carmichael Lynch who was paired with Sarah Tukua, an account planner at Carmichael Lynch, in 2011. I thought I was going one direction, but she helped me see a different path, and thats altered my career in a way I never imagined. Mentors provide that additional level of guidance students just simply cant get in class. My mentor really helped me decide what I wanted in a job, said SJMC senior Cole Ranzau, who was paired with Johnny Surprise, director of business development and client strategy at CPC Intersect, in 2011. I dont think there are a lot of people who can go into a job and say This is what I want, but now that Ive had this experience with Johnny, I have that insight, Ranzau said. Mentoring is important because of the career growth, said Scott Meyer, interim president and CEO of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. There is obviously an opportunity in which a mentor can help shape and guide your career growth.

Left: 2009 graduate Sarah DuBois of Fleishman-Hillard with 2012-2013 mentee Rah Riley. Above: SJMC Alumni Society Board member John Lutter with SJMC student Hope McCullough.

who is willing to take a step back and say, Ive been there and heres what you can do, said Kluge. Sometimes you need that person to sit you down and tell you what to expect, said Pine. Providing that realistic pointof-view is so important. But mentoring doesnt solely help the students. Mentors themselves can benefit. You have to practice what you preach, said Surprise. The things that I was helping Cole with I had to be successful just the same. Its being real, being honest, being a great communicator. Students can help professionals with their own outlook. Especially with how quick media is changing, students give a fresh perspective, said Twin Cities Public Television reporter, longtime journalist and former SJMC Alumni Society Board president Mary Lahammer (B.A., 95). In fact, Twin Cities Public Television president Jim Pagliarini says their station has turned to reverse mentoring tactics, in which students teach older generations new skill sets. The program also serves as a way for alumni to stay in touch with Murphy Hall. Its a way for us professionals to keep connected to whats going on in the school, said Pine. Through the students, we see what theyre learning in class and what theyre prepared for. The students are just so engaged, said Lahammer. Its rewarding to see how completely prepared and engaged these SJMC grads are. Many mentors get involved because theyve seen the importance of mentors in their own career path. Being a mentor

is very important to me because its one way that I broke into the advertising industry, said Tukua. Mentors have that wisdom and knowledge and theyre so willing to pass that on. And one thing rings true: Mentors are willing to help students and are quick to give advice. I wanted to share the knowledge that I have, said Tukua. I really believe in mentoring because were here to help people out. At the end of the day its all about people and the relationships that you have. By being a mentor, you make the next generation that much stronger. The opportunity to have someone who is objective and someone who is watching out for your best interests in your career is a huge advantage, said Meyer. Interacting with someone who is a professional and has been involved in the field allows for such personal growth. Mentors want to be there and they want to help out. Ask questions and pick their brains, Ranzau advised. For many, the mentoring relationship goes beyond the year-long program. Following the students and giving them advice about their careers is so rewarding, said Lahammer. I love working with students on their resum tapes, serving as a reference and continuing to work with them on their professional development. And given changing technologies, mentoring is sure to take on a new face in the coming years. Meyer emphasizes a new dimension that mentoring will take at the University of Minnesota: virtual mentor matching. We have 500,000

U of M Alumni around the world, said Meyer. With the amount of alumni and the technology available, I see an opportunity for us to pair students with alumni who are working in different parts of the world through technology. These advancements are only going to strengthen the spirit of mentoring at the University of Minnesota. And SJMCs program will continue to thrive. When we started the program 30 years ago, this type of career oversight wasnt part of mainstream thinking, said Pine. Our school was ahead of its time and really helped pioneer the importance of mentoring.

HEAR WHAT OUR MENTORS & STUDENTS SAY


Mentor/mentee pairs tell us about their experience in the program. Watch these videos online at sjmc.umn.edu/ugrad/mentor.html or snap the QR code with your smart phone. Mentor Johnny Surprise and Cole Ranzau

Mentor Sarah Tukua and Chad Kluge

SARAH HOWARD

Chad Kluge and mentor Sarah Tukua at Carmichael Lynch

Students turn to mentors to provide them objective advice. A mentor is someone

10 Murphy Reporter FALL 2012

Murphy Reporter

FALL 2012

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