Word From the Mentoring Program Coordinator

The Skidmore Mentoring Program for students majoring in Management and Business was initiated in the Spring Semester of 2002 as an outgrowth of the Management & Business Department’s Business Advisory Council. The program matches business students with experienced business professionals in a mentoring relationship and provides our students with the opportunity to:

• Enhance their understanding of the real world of business
• Link and leverage their classroom learning to the application of this knowledge
• Enhance their knowledge of career path options and their career relevant skills
(e.g., networking, interviewing, goal-setting, planning)
• Gain support and guidance from a trusted mentor

The Skidmore Mentoring Program is now entering its fourth academic year and we continue to experience a high level of student interest. The annual evaluation survey results and informal feedback from students, mentors, and department faculty have been consistently positive and supportive. As the program has grown in size, we have added more administrative structure and formal evaluation tools. These new tools will help us assure and continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of the program.

Beyond our effective administrative mechanisms and tools, the fundamental reason that the program works is because of the proactive involvement and high level of commitment and dedication of the participants. I sincerely appreciate the support and contributions of all our mentors, student partners, and Management & Business Department faculty, and look forward to the continued growth and success of this important initiative.

Sincerely,
Paul Calhoun
F. William Harder Professor
and Mentoring Program Coordinator