There seems to be an endless stream of things to do and not enough time to do it. The pressures to succeed and compete for opportunities are greater than ever. No worthy accomplishment is realized without sacrifice. Take this time to work on your plan. Students can talk to mentors about their specific needs. Or you may need to build or revise your resume. In this session, you can get advice about graduate school or talk to someone about academic challenges. Take advantage of the opportunity to leave the conference with a solid plan for achieving your goals and a few key things checked off of your list. At the end of this seminar, college students will be able to: a. Talk to potential mentors or coaches b. Work on resume building strategies c. A ccess support for navigating academic pressures, schedules, and choices d. E xplore plans and “to do” items for the graduate school application process e. Share personal school and career game plan

1. October 11–13, 2012
College Study Hall: Access Mentors,
Build Resumes, Get Academic
Support and Guidance

2. Speakers
• Antoinette Lewis
University Relations & Recruiting
Representative, Northrop Grumman
Corporation
• Lakeshia Neerhof
CRAM Contractor Manning Force Readiness
Deputy, Northrop Grumman Corporation

3. At the end of this presentation,
you will be able to…
• Talk to potential mentors or coaches
• Work on resume building strategies
• Access support for navigating academic
pressures, schedules, and choices
• Explore plans and “to do” items for the
graduate school application process
• Share personal school and career game plan

4. Access Mentors
• What is a mentor?
– Counselor, Guide, Tutor, Coach
• Characteristics of a mentor?
– Knowledgeable, Trusted, Successful,
Communicative
• Who has a mentor?

5. Access Mentors cont’d
• How can a mentor help me?
– Be specific about goals
– Detailed what you need help with
• Where can I find a mentor?
– Current/Former professor
– Manager/Supervisor
– School organized mentorship program
– On/Off-campus professional organizations
– Alumni database
• How can I ask someone to mentor me?
– “Will you be my mentor?”
– Ask for advice
How to Find a Mentor in College, Huffington Post, March 6, 2012

6. Build Resumes
• Take advantage of your Career Services Center
– Their services are designed for you
• List courses you have or are currently taking that are
relevant to your desired job
• Demonstrate Leadership: Obtain officer positions and
chair committees in student organizations
• Volunteer somewhere you can utilize your skills
• List all projects – you may have personal projects done
on your own that utilized your skills

7. Get Academic Support and Guidance
• What pressures are you facing in school?
– GPA requirements, graduation date, course load,
extracurricular activities
• Seek tutoring support
• Work closely with your academic advisor

8. Develop School and Career Plan
• Create your academic plan for each
semester
– Consider a minor
• Develop contingencies to
accommodate Co-Ops and Internships
– Diversify your experience with different
types of internships/co-ops
• Research industries and companies
that hire your major

9. Prepare for Graduate School
• Decide if you want to go to graduate school immediately
– Cost/Benefit analysis
• Decide if you want to gain industry/work experience first
– Tuition assistance offered by many companies
• Research your options
– Choose a school
– What entrance exams are required
– Letters of recommendation
• Start early – KNOW THE DEADLINES

10. Making the Right Choices
• Social Media
– There are no secrets on the internet
• Financial/Credit
– Resist temptations of credit card companies
– Use financial aid responsibly
• Extracurricular activities

11. Summary
• Find a good mentor
• Sharpen your resume
• Balance extracurricular and schoolwork
• Prepare early for graduate school
• Manage school and career plans

12. Questions