Marquette University Alumni Association Mentor Newsletter
February 2017

Mentors, mentees find value at record-setting networking social

Dr. Rob Panther, Justine Sinkus and Alex GambacortaNearly 60 enthusiastic MUAA Mentor Program mentors, mentees, staff and guests attended the Jan. 28 networking social at Buck Bradley’s. Held prior to the Providence vs. Marquette men’s basketball game, mentors from Milwaukee area, Chicago and Ohio in law, engineering, medicine, entrepreneurship and other professions met with mentees and others to share their mentoring experiences, get advice and expand their network.

“The event was a great opportunity to talk with other mentors, even those in entirely different careers,” says Charles O’Donnell, Comm ’17.

See who attended along with their respective Marquette attire.

Give a little, get a little advice at February best practices workshops

Mentee Best Practices WorkshopSince the start of the MUAA Mentor Program in 2013-14, participants regularly share the value of learning from their peers and sharing their own experiences has helped make them better mentors and mentees. Get a firsthand account of what others have found successful, rewarding, even challenging- and how to work through it. Participation is strongly recommended:

Student mentee workshops: Tuesday, Feb. 21 or Wednesday, Feb. 22, Zilber Hall. Register now.
Alumni mentor teleconference workshop: 5 p.m. CT, Tuesday, Feb. 21. Contact Dan DeWeerdt for details.   

For these entrepreneurs, here's the pitch

Scott Kitun, Davis MarklinMentee Davis Marklin, Eng ’18, and mentor Scott Kitun, Comm ’06 and CEO of Technori in Chicago, are cut from the same cloth. At first glance, though, why would a communication graduate be mentoring a mechanical engineering student? Simple: they’re entrepreneurs. Davis has embraced working with Scott, including pitching his own startup, ItusOne Technologies, LLC at TechnoriU,

where startups launch on-stage.

“Scott has been incredibly valuable in developing my mindset as an entrepreneur and his experience has been helpful in avoiding common pitfalls for first time entrepreneurs,” Davis says.

Scott has found working with Davis equally rewarding. “Mentoring him reminds me why I became an entrepreneur,” he says. “The raw enthusiasm and passion to just build cool stuff.”

Mark your calendar for April 27 program finale and celebration

MUAA Mentor Program FinaleJoin fellow mentors and mentees from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, to network and celebrate the conclusion of the 2016-17 MUAA Mentor Program. The event will take place in Sensenbrenner Hall’s Eisenberg Reading Room. Save the date and look for an electronic invitation soon. For more information, contact daniel.deweerdt@marquette.edu.

From Milwaukee to Manhattan: Lessons learned from a mentee who landed a Chipotle internship

Omo TseumahBy Omo Tseumah,
Bus Ad '17

I started applying to summer internships in December of my junior year and heard a big NO from everyone. I applied to internships locally, in Milwaukee and Chicago, and globally (who wouldn’t want to work and play in Paris?) and heard nothing back for months, not even the kind rejection email.

When I landed the internship at Chipotle it was unexpected. I was doing my rounds applying after a day of class and saw the job posting on Linkedin. I would later find out I was one of over 400-plus people who saw the same job posting and applied. Applications rolled in so fast the posting was only live for 24 hours. They had one internship position in New York City and I got it.

Read the rest of Omo's story.

Survey says... Participants provide mid-point program feedback

Survey

Thanks to approximately 80 program participants who shared their experiences in the MUAA Mentor Program mid-point survey. Survey results help provide participant support, demonstrate program outcomes and track progress.

Among key findings:
Mentor/mentee experience to date

- 95%: excellent (53%), very good (33% ) or good (9%)
Exceeded or met expectations
97%: exceeded (41%) or met (56%)
Most beneficial topics

- Interview preparation; goal setting; career, graduate school, co-op and internship options; the value of networking
Biggest challenges
- Meeting times; speaking regularly; topics to discuss (suggestion: see these ideas, for starters)
What mentors and mentees are saying about their participation
- “I am eternally grateful to be working with my mentor. He’s really turned into someone that I can turn to for nearly anything regarding my future career.”
- “Thrilled with the experience and will for sure continue to participate! It even inspired me to start a mentoring program in our ad agency!”
- “I am definitely glad that I am participating in this program. It has opened my eyes to parts of the industry that I didn't even know existed.”
- “I feel like I have really helped my mentee out with figuring out career and school goals.”
- “(I’ve been) amazed by (my) mentee's professionalism.”
- “I did not expect to receive such great advice, both professionally and personally.”


Your feedback is greatly appreciated- and look for the final survey at the program’s conclusion in April.

Five Questions With... Mentee John Steppe, Comm '20 
(Steve Rushin, Comm '88, mentor)

John Steppe and Dick Enberg1 What has been one of your key findings thus far as a mentee?
Having someone to talk to in the career field I’m pursuing has been an extremely rewarding experience.

2. What advice would you offer other mentees to maximize the relationship with their own mentor?
Don’t just limit conversations to long-term goals. Some of the most helpful advice from Steve has been things I could do right away within student media or other journalistic endeavors.

3. What have been two favorite Marquette memory in your first year on campus?
It’s hard to choose, but doing color commentary for the Marquette Wire’s radio broadcast of the Marquette-Villanova game has to be towards the top of the list. Meeting broadcasting legend Dick Enberg on campus (shown above) is up there, too.

Read John's full interview.

In the News

Congratulations to these mentor program participants for their recent achievements.

Gov. Scott Walker and Michele BriaDr. Michele Bria, Arts ’90, CEO of Journey House in Milwaukee, received the State Martin Luther King Legacy Award from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. She's served in the MUAA Mentor Program each year since it was established in 2013-14. (Mentee Alex Gambacorta, Arts ’18.)

 



 

Gabby MovalsonGabby Movalson, Comm ’18, has accepted a summer internship at 540 ESPN Milwaukee. She is mentored by Lou Hernandez, Comm ’06 and director of marketing (Baseball) at Independent Sports & Entertainment in Northbrook, Ill.

 

 

 

 

Emily SchmittEmily Schmitt, Grad '17, has accepted a position through a Kimberly-Clark program to work as a customer development associate specializing in category management. She will serve on the Walmart team in the family care category in Rogers, Arkansas. Cathy Lewis, Eng '85 and Sr. QA Engineer, Contact Solutions a Verint Company, serves as her mentor.

 

 


If you have a new job, received a promotion or award, joined a non-profit or another accomplishment you'd like to share with fellow mentors and mentees In the News, send it with a headshot to daniel.deweerdt@marquette.edu.

Opportunity knocks at WorkForce Career & Internship Fair

Students and alumni from all years and majors are encouraged to attend the WorkForce Career & Internship Fair on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Wisconsin State Fair Park. Visit with 180 different employers from a wide variety of industries offering full-time and internship positions for summer and fall. Register now.

Alumni Association accepting applications for Homecoming internship

Students interested in expanding their communication and specials events skills are encouraged to apply for the Marquette University Alumni Association’s paid Homecoming internship position. It starts this semester and goes through the event in October (includes summer). The application period closes this Friday, Feb. 10. Email daniel.deweerdt@marquette.edu to learn more. 

 

MUAA Mentor Program Toolbox offers relevant mentor, career resources

From mentor and mentee icebreaker questions to timely and trending mentor and professional development articles, visit the MUAA Mentor Program Toolbox. This month's featured resources:

Your career needs many mentors, not just one; Harvard Business Review

What mentors expect of mentees; No Sniveling

Mentor program questions or comments? Contact MUAA Mentor Program Director Dan DeWeerdt at daniel.deweerdt@marquette.edu or (414) 288-4740.

 


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