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College of Health and Human Sciences Professional Mentoring Program

Category: General Human Ecology

Travel Grant Recap – Benaiah Gorman (Personal Financial Planning)

Posted on by Austin Anderson

 

My name is Benaiah Gorman and I am a graduating senior at Kansas State University studying Personal Financial Planning with a certificate in Sales. During the spring semester of my junior year I was paired with Julie Fletcher, a fee-only financial advisor in Denver, CO.  Julie and I made it a point to talk monthly to update each other on our lives, career or otherwise. She was there for me while I was entering the meat of my majors’ classes and allowed me to learn from her, vent to her, and get other perspective of the career field that I did not see. We have gotten to tell each other of significant life events such as me being selected to compete in a national competition, traveling and graduating college. While she has gotten married, traveled to Italy and started her own firm. The travel grant that the mentoring program provides allowed to me to go visit someone who has been a huge part of my college career over the past two years and meet them in person.

Julie was one of the earlier graduates from the Personal Financial Program. She graduated in 2005 and immediately started in the industry with a large broker dealer for the first two years of her career. While learning about the industry, she realized that the corporate world was not suited for her interest in helping people, so she sought out a smaller firm that focused more on a relationship with people and provided a fiduciary standard for her clients. She worked at 3 different firms over the next 12 years and just recently started her own firm that focuses on SRI (socially responsible investing). While working in the Denver she was a part of multiple organizations providing support to many women in business such Women’s Estate Planners, Women of FPA, and Professional Advisor Council. Over the busyness of the past two years, she has still found time for me to ask questions and provide support to me through my classes and education outside of my classes.

While in Colorado, I got to explore the city of Denver and visit her firm. I got to see all the things that take place behind the scenes of starting your own firm and the unexpected difficulties that come along with that. We got lunch at one of her local favorite restaurants and got to talk about my senior classes, my plans after college, and what I was most excited about starting my own career in the financial service industry. We even did a mock interview because she wanted to see how I answered some of the most important questions in the industry. Julie has taught me what networking is like, how to maintain professional relationships, and how to get out of my comfort zone.

Julie is one of those people who truly cares about what she does and who she does it with. I am so grateful the I was paired with her to be my mentor and this a relationship that will last far beyond college and state borders.

If you are interested in joining the College of Human Ecology’s Professional Mentoring Program as a mentor or mentee, CLICK HERE.

For more information regarding the travel grant program, CLICK HERE.

Mentoring Connection – May 2019 Newsletter

Posted on by Austin Anderson

 

 

Campus Connection – Human Ecology Student Events & Announcements

 

End of Semester Updates

COLLEGE NAME CHANGE

On June 1, 2019, the College of Human Ecology will become the College of Health and Human Sciences. While the name is new, the College of Health and Human Sciences will continue to offer its programs through the School of Family Studies and Human Services and departments of Hospitality Management; Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design; Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health; and Kinesiology. The mentoring program will become the College of Health and Human Sciences Professional Mentoring Program. To learn more about the name change, click here.

SUMMER MEETINGS

We encourage mentor/mentee pairs to continue communicating over the summer months. We understand frequency of meetings may slow due to vacations, jobs/internships and education abroad opportunities but please stay in contact as your schedules allow.

 

“In Your Experience…” – Monthly Discussion Questions for Mentoring Pairs

  • What did you do during the summer while you were in college to prepare for your career?
  • What were the biggest challenges you faced in your first year of employment following college/graduate school?
  • What is the most important leadership lesson you have learned and how is it valuable?
  • What goals have you set for your career in the coming year, and how are you working to achieve them?

 

From Around the Web

“How Soft Skills Help Boost Your Career” from The Balance

“Most occupations require that those who work in it have certain abilities that allow them to do their jobs. To work in any occupation you also need what is referred to as soft skills.”

 

Your Mentoring Experience


PRE-MEETING FORMS

We have developed a pre-meeting questionnaire designed to prepare mentors for their next meeting with their mentee. The use of these forms is optional. Mentors should provide this form to their mentee if they would like them to fill it out prior to a meeting. If you have any questions or need a copy of the questionnaire, please email austin33@k-state.edu. A copy of the form can also be found on the “Resources” section of WildcatLink.


POST MEETING SURVEYS

We encourage all of our mentors and mentees to complete the post-meeting surveys following each monthly meeting.


TRAVEL GRANT AVAILABLE FOR MENTEES

Students participating in the Professional Mentoring Program may be eligible for funds to travel and visit their mentors. Visit the Travel Grant webpage or contact Austin Anderson (austin33@k-state.edu) for more information.

 

 

Stay Connected

 

Mentoring Connection – March 2019 Newsletter

Posted on by Austin Anderson

 

 

Campus Connection – Human Ecology Student Events & Announcements

 

 

“In Your Experience…” – Monthly Discussion Questions for Mentoring Pairs

 

  • Who are the people that have made the biggest impact on your career?
  • What unexpected obstacles have come up in your career?
  • What is something you hope to accomplish in your career?
  • What is one thing people would be surprised to know about your career path?

 

Professional Skills – Personal Branding

“How to Mention Fun Facts About Yourself in a Job Search” from The Balance

Preparation and following job search norms are essential – but that doesn’t mean that your application materials and interview answers should be stripped of all personality. Sharing fun facts about yourself distinguishes you from the crowd, and can make you a stronger, more appealing candidate.

From Around the Web

“How to Get Hired by Your Dream Company” from The Balance

If you have a few companies that you’d really like to work for, make a point of keeping them on your radar — and getting on theirs — even before you start the job application process.

 

Your Mentoring Experience


PRE-MEETING FORMS

We have developed a pre-meeting questionnaire designed to prepare mentors for their next meeting with their mentee. The use of these forms is optional. Mentors should provide this form to their mentee if they would like them to fill it out prior to a meeting. If you have any questions or need a copy of the questionnaire, please email austin33@k-state.edu. A copy of the form can also be found on the “Resources” section of WildcatLink.


POST MEETING SURVEYS

We encourage all of our mentors and mentees to complete the post-meeting surveys following each monthly meeting.


TRAVEL GRANT AVAILABLE FOR MENTEES

Students participating in the Professional Mentoring Program may be eligible for funds to travel and visit their mentors. Visit the Travel Grant webpage or contact Austin Anderson (austin33@k-state.edu) for more information.

 

 

Stay Connected

 

Mentoring Connection – January 2019 Newsletter

Posted on by Austin Anderson

 

Campus Connection – Human Ecology Student Events & Announcements

 

“In Your Experience…” – Monthly Discussion Questions for Mentoring Pairs

  • How did you figure out what you wanted to do with your life in terms of career?
  • How many times (if any) did you change your major in college?
  • If you were starting college all over again, what would you do differently and why?
  • What is the most helpful piece of advice you have ever received in your career?

 

Professional Skills – Personal Branding

“How to Brand (or Rebrand) Yourself for the Job You Want” from The Balance

When starting a job search, your goal is to make your credentials strong enough to get you selected for an interview. Once you get to a job interview, you can sell yourself to the interviewer by confidently making the case that you are an exceptional candidate. Before that though, what is on your cover letter and resume is going to be the pitch that gets you picked for an interview.

 

From Around the Web

“8 Tips for an Amazing Mentor Relationship” from Forbes

Many successful people attribute at least part of their success to having a mentor. The right mentor can provide advice and connections that help their mentee reach heights that would be impossible alone.

Your Mentoring Experience

PRE-MEETING FORMS

To help guide conversation and give you a road map for your mentoring meetings, we have developed a pre-meeting questionnaire designed to prepare mentors for their next meeting with their mentee. The use of these forms is optional. Mentors should provide this form to their mentee if they would like them to fill it out prior to a meeting. If you have any questions or need a copy of the questionnaire, please email austin33@k-state.edu.

 

POST MEETING SURVEYS

We encourage all of our mentors and mentees to complete the post-meeting surveys following each monthly meeting. Your responses are to be based on your most recent meeting with your mentor/mentee.

 

TRAVEL GRANT AVAILABLE FOR MENTEES

Students participating in the Professional Mentoring Program may be eligible for funds to travel and visit their mentors. Visit the Travel Grant webpage or contact Austin Anderson (austin33@k-state.edu) for more information.

 

Stay Connected

 

Mentoring Connection – December 2018 Newsletter

Posted on by Austin Anderson

 

Campus Connection – Human Ecology Student Events & Announcements

 

“In Your Experience…” – Monthly Discussion Questions for Mentoring Pairs

  • Do you have any career related resolutions for the New Year? How do you plan to accomplish them?
  • If you weren’t in your current position/career, what would you be doing?
  • What is the biggest professional challenge you have faced? How did you address it?
  • If you could go back and do anything differently in the early stages of your career, what would it be?
  • Does your mentor have a mentor?

 

Professional Skills – Networking

“How to find networking events worth going to”

 

 

From Around the Web

“How to Choose a Career When You’re Interested in Everything” from The Balance

For many young adults, entering the workforce can be jarring. Throughout your life, you’ve been told the importance of becoming a well-rounded individual. So you tried different activities, studied various subjects, and developed a wide variety of interests. Then you have to pick a career path.

 

 

Your Mentoring Experience

PRE-MEETING FORMS

To help guide conversation and give you a road map for your mentoring meetings, we have developed a pre-meeting questionnaire designed to prepare mentors for their next meeting with their mentee. The use of these forms is optional. Mentors should provide this form to their mentee if they would like them to fill it out prior to a meeting. If you have any questions or need a copy of the questionnaire, please email austin33@k-state.edu.

 

POST MEETING SURVEYS

We encourage all of our mentors and mentees to complete the post-meeting surveys following each monthly meeting. Your responses are to be based on your most recent meeting with your mentor/mentee.

 

TRAVEL GRANT AVAILABLE FOR MENTEES

Students participating in the Professional Mentoring Program may be eligible for funds to travel and visit their mentors. Visit the Travel Grant webpage or contact Austin Anderson (austin33@k-state.edu) for more information.

 

 

Stay Connected

 

Travel Grant Recap – Ellie Boring (Apparel and Textiles)

Posted on by Austin Anderson

Applying for the Human Ecology Professional Mentoring Program was the best decision I made my senior year at Kansas State. As a senior studying Apparel & Textiles with a Specialization in Marketing, completing a Business Administration, and Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies minors, I was looking for ways to expand my network before graduation. In September, I applied for a mentor with no real expectations while being optimistic of the pairing. It could not have turned out better in the end.

I was paired with Christine Michalek, a technical designer at Under Armour, working with the Olympics and special teams. Although as a marketing student, technical design is not in my realm of study I have still been able to learn a lot professionally from our mentoring relationship. Since we have been paired together we have monthly meetings over FaceTime, and discuss trends in the workforce, her current projects, along with my school work. Christine has given me sound advice as I have been job searching in preparation for graduation. Our communication style is very laid back, we also text and email in between our monthly meetings.

Over spring break I flew out to Baltimore, Maryland to visit with Christine in person and job shadow her at Under Armour. This was the farthest northeast I have ever been and I was looking forward to exploring a new city. We took a water taxi to work in the mornings, since the Under Armour campus sits impressively on the harbor overlooking the Patapsco River. During my tour I met with Jami Dunbar, a K-State Almun who initially brought Christine on board with the mentoring program. Jami has had a notable career, currently the Vice President of Technical Design and Product Development as well as spearheading the UA Lighthouse Innovation Center. One of the highlights from the trip was meeting with Jami, discussing the mentoring program at K-State, innovation in athletic wear, and women helping women in the workforce.

During my time job shadowing at Under Armour I had the opportunity to meet with professionals working in a multitude of positions across departments. They allowed me to get a preview into their daily functions and job requirements. It was inspiring to see the individual paths everyone’s career has taken, and the diverse channels that has lead them all into their current positions. I sat down and spoke with people on the marketing run team, accounts and customer service, product line management, college sports marketing, product development, and human resources. Under Armour offers a vast network of jobs in a comprehensive work environment that fosters teamwork and collaboration across all channels. I had the opportunity to see this first hand and network with professionals I would have never met if not for the mentoring program and the travel grant.

Coming back from this trip I have been able to put into perspective future career goals for myself and am now anticipating my graduation. Finally meeting my mentor made our relationship stronger and I am so thankful for the time she has put into our partnership. I am also grateful for everyone at K-State that made this opportunity possible for me, the donor, and the faculty/staff in the College of Human Ecology.

 

If you are interested in joining the College of Human Ecology’s Professional Mentoring Program as a mentor or mentee, CLICK HERE.

For more information regarding the travel grant program, CLICK HERE.

Travel Grant Recap – Kaley Dick (Dietetics)

Posted on by Austin Anderson

My name is Kaley Dick and I am a senior at Kansas State University studying Dietetics. I have been part of the mentoring program for about a year. This last fall, I was matched up with Ruth Stemler as my mentor. Over the year we talked monthly and got to know each other’s passions, career paths, and future plans. This last summer through the mentoring travel grant, I was able to get out of Kansas to visit Ruth. Ruth currently lives in Colorado so I hopped in my car and made a 7-hour drive to see her!

Ruth Stemler is a former Wildcat! She was part of the first class to graduate in Dietetics from Kansas State University. Ever since then there is not much that she has not done in her dietetics career. While I was out in Colorado, I had the opportunity to volunteer with Cooking Matters and network within the Denver area. Before Ruth had retired, she was the director at Cooking Matters. Cooking Matters is part of an organization that is the same as “No Kid Goes Hungry” or “Share Our Strength.” While volunteering for Cooking Matters, I had the opportunity to watch classes that they taught within the community, participate in pop-up stands, and go on some grocery store tours. The teaching style is very hands on and interactive with the participants.

I also got to visit internships while I was out there. This is a dream for any dietetics student because internships are extremely competitive with about a 50% acceptance rate.  So being able to sit down with a director of a program was very fortunate. Colorado was not just volunteering and meetings, I also got to experience Colorado with Ruth! We went on walks in the mountains, visited local cooking shops, and even spent some time at a farmers market. One of my favorite parts was sitting on the porch with Ruth and David (Ruth’s husband) looking over the mountains every morning as we enjoyed our breakfast. It was a great opportunity to finally meet face-to-face with Ruth and get to know her even more than just talking on the phone. Ruth has helped me develop as a student and has shaped the way I process dietetics.

I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who made this trip possible for me, whether that was planning, financial, or time!

Thank you,
Kaley Dick

If you are interested in joining the College of Human Ecology’s Professional Mentoring Program as a mentor or mentee, CLICK HERE.

For more information regarding the travel grant program, CLICK HERE.