Bronco Mentorship Excellence Program
Welcome
The purpose of this program is to guide EVERY CBA/SGSB student through academia into a successful and engaging professional career, and is part of the dean’s vision of student success as Mentorship – “In-Business-Experience” – Job.
The Bronco Mentorship Excellence Program is now open for College of Business Administration graduate and undergraduate students and alumni to network and build relationships.
This opportunity allows students to connect directly with alumni working in industry—a big deal when over 80 percent of jobs and internships come from referrals! Alumni mentors build connections, improve leadership skills, gain new perspectives and shape the Business Leaders of tomorrow.
Both mentors and mentees can sign up today!
Sign up for the CPP Bronco Mentoring Network today by visiting this link or scanning the QR Code.
For questions about the program please contact cppmentorship@cpp.edu.
For Interested Students
Mentors serve as guides that can provide wisdom about real world experience, industry and career paths. In order to be a successful mentee, it is important to determine what you are looking for in a mentor and what questions would help accelerate your professional journey.
- Be Proactive: Don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni that work in companies or industries of interest. The relationship will be most successful if you reach out consistently and respectfully in scheduling time with your mentor. The more you know before entering your first job, the better chance that you will pick a career that fits your goals and life-long ambitions.
- Set Expectations: Be clear about your goals during your first interaction with a mentor. Be prepared to ask for specific guidance and advice on your goals, plans and strategic ideas. The more specific you can be, the easier it will be for your mentor to help you. Identify how you see your role as a mentee and what guidance you are looking for in the mentoring relationship. Determine the mode of communication you will use and how frequently you both are available to meet.
- Build Relationships: Remember that the primary goal of this mentoring network is to have access to professionals that are willing to share their wisdom and build relationships. Although career opportunities may develop based on interactions with the network, it is not appropriate to connect with an alumnus solely to ask them for a job.
- Be Timely: Respond to e-mails and communication in a timely manner. Be courteous, polite and professional. Keep up with your e-mails and ask questions.
- Be Honest: Let your mentor know if you don’t understand something or have additional questions.
- Ask for Feedback: Leverage your mentor’s knowledge by asking feedback on resumes, interview answers, and career choices. Remember that your mentor is providing feedback rather than criticism.
- Be Grateful: Appreciate the work your mentor is doing. Remember that they are generously volunteering to help you, and other students succeed in their professional journeys and never take that for granted.
Are you an alumni or business professional passionate about developing next generation’s leaders? Sign-up to become a Mentor!
For Interested Mentors
- Willingness to invest time and energy in their mentoring relationship.
- A belief that mentoring is a mutually enhancing professional activity and benefits the development of both the mentor and mentee.
- Confidence in their own wisdom and abilities.
- A desire to pass along information and wisdom to students and fellow alumni who may need career, industry and professional guidance.
- Feel comfortable working one-on-one.
- Building a mentoring relationship is very personalized and requires both mentor and mentee to set goals and boundaries. During the first meeting, both parties should agree on the frequency, duration and mode of communication preferred between mentor/mentee. An expectation of 30 minutes to 2 hours per month and generally for a minimum of one semester. Mentoring relationships potentially develop into lifelong connections with sustaining impact.
- Mentors should respond to mentee consistently and within a specified timeframe in order to ensure that open lines of communication are available.
- Build trust with your mentee by being open and honest. Accept and value one another’s differences. Engage regularly to further develop your relationship.
- Provide suggestions and be a sounding board for the mentee’s career goals and development.
Ways to Engage!
Micro-Internships
- Paid, Professional projects
- Projects range from 5 to 40 hours of work
- May be completed remotely
Internship Opportunities
An In-Person internship starting in the summer for 3~4 months. Share your career challenges that you may have faced. Help candidate students brainstorm ways to find opportunities, and build their networksMock Interviews
Conduct mock interviews that will help students and alumni prepare for and accel in their interviews
Informational Interviews
Be available for informational interviews with students that are exploring other career options
Salary Negotiations
Share the BATNA (Best Alternative to A Negotiated Agreement) concept with students. Allow them the opportunity to participate in a mock-salary discussion with a recruiter/hiring manager
Panelists
Volunteer to be on a panel, with other professionals, discussing and addressing questions that arise from a student audience
Employee To-Do’s
Special Session on now that they got the job “HOW TO BE A VALUE CONTRIBUTING EMPLOYEE”
Employment Opportunities
If there is a student candidate that interests you as a mentor, contact the Career Center for more information on how to proceed at career@cpp.edu
"I am grateful for the mentors that have supported me during my career. Guiding students through their academic and career journeys is incredibly rewarding. The most fulfilling aspect is witnessing their confidence grow as they recognize the wonderful skillsets they have acquired as they begin to visualize the success that lies ahead for them in their careers and lives. Seeing students evolve from ambitious individuals into confident, skilled professionals ready to tackle the business world is immensely gratifying. Being able to contribute to their development, offer mentorship, and support their career aspirations is a true gift that I am thankful to experience."
Jayson Yardley, ’98 MBA
Mentor
CEO, Knowtion Health
“Using my corporate experience, I try to give students a deep perspective of the real-world workplace, what employers are looking for, and how career progression decisions are made. I specifically remember a student who was concerned that he did not have the desired internships or work experience for a career in investment banking. But through his hard work, my advice on professionalism, and the intellectual knowledge he obtained through our classes, he landed multiple offers prior to graduation.”
Pawan Tomkoria, MBA ‘84
Mentor, Faculty, 2017 CPP CBA Distinguished Alumnus