Mentor Scholars celebration
Lerner hosts barbecue for Executive Mentor Scholars Program participants
1:20 p.m., May 21, 2012--It was a beautiful day to celebrate discovery learning with a backyard barbecue on the patio of the Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware on Friday, May 11. Hosted by the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, the appreciation event recognized relationships developed through the Executive Mentor Scholars (EMS) Program.
The EMS Program is an educational resource offered by the Lerner College that establishes mentor-student relationships by matching executives and their professional backgrounds with students and their career objectives.
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Students enrolled in the Lerner College apply during the spring semester of their sophomore year, begin their mentorships as juniors in the fall semester and conclude the experience at the end of their senior year.
Friday’s celebration brought together all past, current and new EMS participants who enjoyed a full buffet barbecue and live music while they shared stories, looked back on their experiences through the year, and socialized with the greater EMS network.
“The EMS program exemplifies the best of the 'Lerner approach' to business education,” said Bruce Weber, dean of the Lerner College. “Our students gain strong foundational skills and exposure to liberal arts, but we combined with many chances to practice what is taught in the classroom.
“The 65 participants find out how business leaders, who are Lerner alumni, think and work in today’s complex economic environment. The mentors provide a rich learning opportunity for our students, and we hope they feel they receive something valuable in return,” said Weber.
Jill Panté, assistant director of the Lerner College satellite Career Services Center (CSC), encouraged students to take advantage of the program.
“We make an effort to pair student interests with executive expertise so a student interested in finance has the opportunity to learn about those aspects of a firm that happen on an everyday basis,” said Panté. “The experience also gives mentors the opportunity to share their advice and experience on a variety of related topics like career planning and resume building.”
Kim Ragan, an administrative assistant in the Lerner College who helped organize the event, said she enjoyed hearing about everyone’s experiences.
“It is nice to see how much help the students received from their mentors and what they learned over the course of the year,” said Ragan. “It is also great to hear about the satisfaction the mentors receive from being a mentor.”
Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson