By Grace Flannery
Our College of Business’ e-mentoring program has provided undergraduate business students with unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth for the past 15 years, with no plans of slowing down.
Through e-mentoring, approximately 150 students each year gain access to industry insights, career guidance and networking opportunities that can significantly enhance their college experience. In fact, over the last 15 years, over 2,000 students have been matched with 370 mentors through this program.
In celebration of its 15th year of service, several current and former program participants shared their experiences in the program, which has become a foundation to the development of undergraduate business students since the program’s inception in spring 2009.
Associate Professor Sarah Marsh started the e-mentoring program early in her tenure as chair of our Department of Management at NIU. After a faculty member mentioned to Marsh that many students did not have a professional network and that she wanted to do something to help them make their professional network broader and richer, they worked together to launch the e-mentoring program using Marsh’s own professional network of alumni and friends. By simply connecting students with professionals who had already made strides in the business world, they were able to grow the e-mentoring program into what it is today. The interactions between students — or mentees — provide important access to business professionals because mentors introduce them to professional skills, provide guidance and sometimes even open doors to internships and job opportunities.
While participation in our e-mentoring program is a graduation requirement for undergraduate business students, specifically as part of a human resource course, each mentee-mentor pair has a lot of flexibility in how the overall program goals are met.
“We pair experienced professionals with COB undergraduate students to foster a mutually beneficial mentoring relationship,” Marsh said. “It is ultimately up to the mentees and mentors to create their unique experience for that semester. We do a comprehensive intake of all mentees and mentors in order to create good pairing between program participants.”
Most mentor-mentees communicate today via video conference, email and phone. The benefits of participating in our e-mentoring program, as reported by mentees, include expanding one’s professional network and gaining real-world insights, as well as personal and professional growth. Mentors reported feeling fulfilled by being able to contribute to the career development of another and giving back to the NIU community.
When participating in our e-mentoring program, students are required to complete an application form outlining their interests, goals and areas of focus. Marsh and the faculty member, currently Professor Brittany Buis, then carefully match each student with a mentor based on their compatibility and shared interests. Once the matching process is complete, the mentor and mentee are introduced and communication channels are established.
The frequency and mode of communication can be decided upon by both parties, whether it is in-person meetings, video conferences or regular email exchanges. Most mentors provide learning experiences and insights beyond what can be read in a textbook.
“MGMT 355 is the course [in] which students complete our e-mentoring program as part of the course requirements,” said Buis. “While the project is graded, the benefit is far beyond the points earned. Students learn valuable lessons from how to communicate with business professionals, and how to navigate challenges in scheduling meetings with people who have full schedules.”
“While the knowledge gained from textbooks is undoubtedly valuable, nothing really compares to the insights gained from professionals who have experienced the realities of the business world,” said Marsh. “Mentors can share their personal experiences, offer advice on industry trends and provide a unique perspective that will broaden your understanding of the field. Mentors often share information, ideas and experiences that encourage students to explore different avenues on their career paths.”
Such was the case for former student mentee and current professional mentor, John Bruce, ’11, who was a first-generation college student when he came to NIU in 2009. Bruce first participated in our e-mentoring program as a mentee and attributes his experience with the program to a very significant change to his original career path. Bruce’s mentor, Nick Garbis, had a unique background in technology analytics that he shared with Bruce during our e-mentoring program.
“I got paired with a mentor, who at the time was really kind of leading this charge into this concept of people analytics and strategic workforce planning and really, you know, one of the earlier earliest pioneers in this field. In probably the second or third conversation, we had the proverbial, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ conversation,” Bruce said. “I responded that I want to go into talent acquisition. Nick told me, ‘No, you don’t. I’ve talked to you for a little while now. Let me kind of show you some of the stuff I’m working on.’”
And that was a “a pivotal, ‘a-ha’ moment” for Bruce, who explained that his mentor had “fundamentally changed his career” by introducing him to this concept of people, technology, analytics and strategic workforce planning.
After finishing his bachelor’s degree in human resources, Bruce pursued his master’s degree in information systems and has worked in people’s technology analytics for his entire career.
Now a successful alumnus himself, Bruce has also served as a mentor for the program for nearly a decade as his way to “pay it forward.”
The e-mentoring program has served to guide business students in other ways, too. For instance, Dylan Burke, ’22, landed his first job post-NIU after completing his undergraduate degree in business administration, as a direct result of his e-mentoring program experience.
In spring 2022, Burke was paired with his mentor, Justin Gress, chief operating officer for Vantage Risk®, a company that offers a wide array of specialty re/insurance products covering global risks, including niche property and casualty classes. After completing the program, Burke was invited to stay on part time while finishing school, and he was eventually hired full time and currently serves as an insurance underwriter. Burke noted that the e-mentoring program impacted him positively on personal and professional levels.
“Having the opportunity to openly communicate with somebody who was very well established in their career was very beneficial,” he said.
For many, the e-mentoring program is not only about career development but also about personal growth.
“Mentors often help students identify their strengths and weaknesses, set realistic goals and provide guidance on how to overcome challenges,” said Marsh. “By having a mentor dedicated to each business student, who believes in a student’s potential and is there to bring out the best of their mentee, the students often gain the confidence to take on new opportunities and push beyond their comfort zone at this early stage of their career development.”
And while students clearly benefit from their interactions with their mentors, most mentors also note that they get just as much from the relationship as their mentees.
“For all the great things that NIU exposed me to, and for all the things I got to experience at NIU, I am happy to give back,” Gress said. “To be able to come back and support another generation of NIU Huskies is just an amazing thing.”
Burke, too, plans to continue being a part of the e-mentoring program and other opportunities for which his professional experience can contribute to the growth and development of NIU COB students.
Professor Marsh believes this program “has become an important staple to our undergraduate business programs.”
“The e-mentoring program will continue to serve future students and our dynamic NIU COB community,” Marsh said. “This sets us apart from other business programs and allows us to offer undergraduate students something truly special for their personal and professional development.”
Buis enjoys watching her students gain confidence in learning that they ‘have what it takes’ to converse with someone with a title or position.
“It can seem pretty intimidating at first… I love seeing our students gain this insight and reassurance. I also appreciate the humility and honesty of our mentors who share experiences that demonstrate to the students that they are human beings, too, and they have been in their shoes before,” said Buis, who acknowledged the role that MGMT 346 (Business Communications) Professor Keith Nyquist has also had in preparing COB students for this experience. Buis believes the program is a win-win for everyone involved.
“I also appreciate how the e-mentoring program keeps me connected with the business world,” said Buis. “Through reading about the conversations the mentors and mentees are having, I am better able to keep my course content, and my research, timely and relevant to our students while best preparing them to join the dynamic business leaders in our NIU COB community.”
