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W H O Y O U K N O W M AT T E R S Mentorship inspires confidence and connections WO R DS : E R I N H EMME FR O S LIE P H OTO G R A P H Y : BR IT TA TRYG STAD
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Brittany Grussing and Tori Folkestad continue to connect with each other long after the MSUM Executive Mentorship program.
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early every college graduate seeking that first full-time job hears a version of this advice: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
That advice is one reason Tori Folkestad, a senior business administration major at Minnesota State University Moorhead, took a one-credit course in the Paseka School of Business. The course called Executive Mentorship paired her with a professional mentor. “There were lots of skills and networking circles I wanted to develop before going into a career,” Folkestad says. “I knew a mentor would help with that.”
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:: areawomanmagazine.com
What she didn’t anticipate is that her mentor, Brittany Grussing, would become a valued friend and cheerleader, someone she could reach out to with questions long after their formal commitment was over. MSUM’s Executive Mentorship program began in 2013. Since then, nearly 300 students have been matched with professional mentors who represent industries across the region. The program aims to increase students’ confidence and poise as they begin their professional careers, says Jane Pettinger, program coordinator and assistant professor in the Paseka School of Business. Mentors help students identify their talents and share advice to ease the transition from college to work. “Our students are creative and smart and have a lot to offer, but they don’t always seem to realize that,” Pettinger says. “By interacting with area mentors, they realize they’re valuable.”
Brittany Grussing
Folkestad was paired with Grussing, who works with patient experience at Sanford Health in Fargo. During the semester, the two women discussed topics ranging from past experiences to their personality assessments to how to act in an office setting. Grussing helped Folkestad articulate her goals and introduced her to a professional work setting. After hearing that Folkestad wanted to feel more connected to the community, she invited the college student to volunteer and deliver Meals on Wheels with her.