MENTORS AND NETWORKING

Each student in the Entrepreneurship Learning Community will be matched to a mentor from the business and professional community. Students will have the opportunity to meet a mentor who has experience in the student’s major or field – or may simply have experience in an area that matches the student’s personal interests. Students learn to become comfortable interacting with members of the business community.

The community holds regular networking events where students and mentors can interact and make connections. Students will leave Iowa State with an invaluable list of contacts and resources that will be beneficial for any career path.

“These once in a lifetime experiences are unique and worthwhile. Not everyone gets the chance to learn from those who have been in the shoes that you yourself want to fill. I am glad that I had the wonderful opportunity of talking to my mentor. I have learned a great deal from him and hope to use some of his great advice and his experiences to determine where I want to go in my career.”

“Meeting with my mentor was nerve-racking at first, but eventually we both loosened up and had a fun time. I really enjoyed the mentor experience and got a lot out of it. Great semester, and I am looking forward the next.”

“The potential of this experience can be exponentially helpful to me if I take full advantage of this and act as a sponge to gain as much information as possible. Hopefully as my mentor and I move farther along with our business relationship I will attain many helpful contacts so that I will be able to start off my professional career on the right foot.”

“I really enjoy the opportunity to meet with mentors one-on-one. I think this is the most valuable activity that we do in the learning community. It gives us a chance to make a connection with someone that we otherwise wouldn’t meet and the advice and experiences that they share are always very helpful.”

“I thought as a whole the mentor thing is a really good experience. I liked meeting everyone’s mentor and hearing some information about them. I like how it was a somewhat formal event, which is good preparation for life after graduation – wearing more formal clothes and having good etiquette. Also, I liked how we are treated as peers to the business professionals and that some students may even have future opportunities due to the networking. Overall, the peer mentor program was a good experience for me, and it was great to gain insight from my mentor.”