BLEND MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
BLEND MENTORSHIP PROGRAM — LEADERSHIP TEAM
Our successful Wilson College of Textiles graduates have a wealth of knowledge to offer to the next generation of textile leaders. The Blend Mentorship Program connects them with outstanding students who can directly benefit from their expertise.
Blend was created by the Dean’s Young Alumni Leadership Council (DYALC) in 2020 to provide undergraduate seniors and graduate students with an opportunity to build their professional skills, foster new relationships and connect with young alumni who are working in their area of interest.
If you have any questions regarding the Blend Mentorship Program, please contact Carly Dressen at cadresse@ncsu.edu
Members of the Blend Leadership Team
Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Stewardship // NCTF
Co-Chair, Blend Initiative
Dean’s Young Alumni Leadership Council
Morgan Besterman ’15
Co-Chair, Blend Initiative
Dean’s Young Alumni Leadership Council
Carly Dressen ’15
Cody Zane ’15, ’17, ’20
BLEND MENTORSHIP PROGRAM — CURRICULUM
9/11/2024
Week of 9/16/2024
Program Kickoff — Virtual
• Define mentorship and discuss expectations
• Mentee-focused event
• Mentors are encouraged to attend
Mentorship Session #1
• Getting to know one another and understand your goals for the program
º Share this list and ask what your mentee needs assistance with
• Establish communication guidelines or best practices
• Discuss any challenges your mentee may be facing
• Review resume + prepare your mentee for career fair/networking
• Attend sessions provided by Wilson College of Textiles Career Services before the career fair.
Mentorship Session #2
• Carry out goals set from Session #1
• Career Fair next steps/follow up
• Discuss how your mentee is progressing through the semester
Mentorship Session #3
• Finishing the semester strong
• Determine what your mentee can focus on during the break
Mentorship Session #4
• Carry out goals set from Session #1
• Mock interviews
Mentorship Session #5
• Carry out goals set from Session #1
• How to prepare for a job and transition from college to the workforce
• Finishing the semester strong
• Preparing for finals
NOTE: Several workshops will be hosted throughout the year for the mentees and details for those events will be shared as they are finalized.
***This is just a suggested “curriculum” if you would like. THIS WILL NOT FIT EVERY PAIRING. Use the handbook to craft your own “curriculum”. Utilize your experiences and share the challenges that you faced that you can guide them through.
EXPECTATIONS OF MENTEES
• Establish goals. While your mentor can also learn from you, it is expected that you brainstorm your goals before picking your mentor. Your mentor wants to support you in what you need. Following the SMART goal method is a great way to set a clear direction for you and your mentor.
• Take the initiative in the mentor-mentee relationship. This means reaching out to your mentor to schedule meetings, communicating expectations for each meeting, and bringing forth challenges and successes.
• Be kind and respectful of your mentor’s time and boundaries. Respond to your mentor within the agreed amount of time. Mentors may not always have the answer, but they can provide you with guidance and a perspective from someone who has “been there.”
• Have fun! Part of building trust is getting to know each other. Make it part of each mentor meeting to focus, not just on business, but getting to know each other personally.
BEST PRACTICES FOR MENTEES
• Be prepared. Approach each meeting with questions or topics to discuss.
• Be accountable. Respond to your mentor and abide by the communication plan in your mentoring agreement.
• Be professional. Your mentor is taking time to share their experiences with you and potentially help with a job or internship search. Demonstrate interest and enthusiasm.
• Be able to receive feedback. Feedback, no matter how much we ask for it, can be difficult to receive, even though it is an effective tool for personal and professional growth. Take a step back and consider what is being said before dismissing.
• Be grateful. Be sure to thank your mentor for their time and advice! They are taking time out of their day to be a resource for you.
EXPECTATIONS OF THE BLEND MENTORSHIP TEAM
The team will be matching mentors and mentees, sending email reminders and other communication, providing resources and seeking feedback. We are your main source for any support or guidance you might want or need as part of the program.
Here are some of (but not all) the things we can support with:
• Non-responsive mentor
• Complications and/or concerns with the mentor/mentee relationship
• Being a successful mentee
For any questions or concerns, please reach out to Carly Dressen (Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Stewardship, NCTF) at cadresse@ncsu.edu
TOPICS FOR MENTORSHIP SESSIONS
ADULTING:
• Personal life aspirations
• Work/life balance
• How to acclimate into a work environment
• Transitioning from college to a 40-hour work week
CAREER FAIR:
• How do I spend my time?
• What should I talk about?
• Is it actually worth my time?
CONTINUED LEARNING:
• How to grow from an entry level job?
• What organizations to join once you graduate?
• How to continue learning once you leave college
• Spend time teaching (Adobe Illustrator / In Design / Web Development)
FINISHING UP:
• Senior Design
• How to finish your senior year strong
• Time management - job applications / school
• Things you wish you had known your last semester
GRADUATE SCHOOL:
• Applications
• Is it different from undergrad?
• Academia vs professional
LINKEDIN:
• How to set up job alerts
• Profile review
• How to reach out to someone you’ve never met?
• How to reach out to NC State alumni?
APPLYING:
• What extracurriculars are you involved in and how to talk about that in a job interview
• Job search tactics
• How to acclimate into a work environment
• Mock interview
• What job descriptions translate to in everyday tasks
• What are entry level jobs to search/consider
CLASS TRANSLATION:
• How does this (class, idea, etc) apply to the real world?
• How to think outside of the book?
DESIGN PORTFOLIOS:
• Research portfolios you aspire to be like
• How to present a portfolio
• How to make your portfolio stand out
GENERAL:
• Discuss the textile industry
• Discuss hardships in the textile industry
• Entrepreneurship
• Career path options
• Personal goals
• Professional goals
INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS:
• Location, company mission, compensation, etc.
• What to ask when negotiating a job offer
• Relocation funds if job is out of state
RESUME:
• What stands out
• What to leave off
• Cover letter
• Review
• Buzz words and how to find them
TOPICS FOR MENTORSHIP SESSIONS
NETWORKING:
• Virtually bring in coworkers to meet your mentee
• How important are soft skills
• What networking events to attend
• Is networking important?
• How do I network? Who do I network with?
• How to utilize my relationships with my professors to land my first job?
ACTIVITIES:
• Lunch/dinner/coffee meetings (in-person or virtual)
• Review resume and cover letter and provide feedback
• Set up mock interviews and salary negotiations
• Job shadow (if local to the Raleigh or surrounding NC area)
• Watch a webinar together and discuss
• Review portfolios and assist in developing
• Connect with another mentor/mentee pair
TEMPLATE: FIRST EMAIL TO YOUR BLEND MENTOR
Examplemail@example.com email to recipientemail@example.com
Hello [First Name of Mentor],
I am [first and last name], an [undergraduate/graduate student] majoring in [insert major/area of study] at the Wilson College of Textiles. Through the Blend Mentorship Program, I was paired with you and given your contact information. Thank you for being willing to give up some of your free time to be a mentor to me. I am excited to connect with you and learn more about your experiences.
Are you available for 30 minutes next week? It would be great to spend that time getting to know more about each other and sharing with you how you could help me to reach my goals. I am usually available [insert time suggestions] . Let me know what day and time would work best for you.
Kindly, [First and Last Name]
SMART GOALS GUIDE AND EXAMPLES
The SMART acronym is a framework that will enable you to write goals that drive greater impact. Write goals with each of these aspects in mind, and you’ll be able to quantify how far you’ve come and how far you have left to go against your goal.
The letters of SMART stand for:
Clearly state your goal.
What will you do?
Why and by when? Ensure you can measure success.
How will you measure your goal? Set goals you can achieve.
Example of a SMART Goal:
Can you accomplish this goal? Set goals relevant to your education and future. Does it align? Set a deadline for completion.
When will you accomplish this?
To achieve my goal of getting an internship in product development, I will update my resume with relevant qualifications so I can apply to three open intern positions at a wearables startup company this week.
WILSON COLLEGE OF TEXTILES RESOURCES
Academic, Career, and Student Services
The Center for Academic, Career and Student Services (ACSS) in the Wilson College of Textiles supports students through all stages of their NC State journey. Exploration events, pre-college programs and individual visits are a few of the opportunities that ACSS provides for prospective students and their families to learn more about Wilson College. Current students receive support from the exceptional ACSS staff through academic advising, career services, scholarships, student engagement and peer tutoring. Stop by the center in suite 2418 for more information about how ACSS can support you.
Academic Services
• Program Contacts
» Link: https://textiles.ncsu.edu/contact/
• Advising
» Academic Advisor Expectations
◊ Provide Informed Support. Advisors should:
º Make advisees feel comfortable coming to them for assistance
º Support students by suggesting ways to help them meet their goals
◊ Know the Curriculum, Academic Policies, and Resources. Advisors should:
º Understand curriculum requirements and university policies
º Understand how and when to make referrals to appropriate campus resources
◊ Be Accessible, Responsive, and Proactive. Students are required to meet with their advisor once/ semester for Registration Advising. Advisors should:
º Let advisees know how to reach them
º Respond to emails in a timely manner
º Be proactive in keeping up with their advisees periodically throughout the term, particularly those in academic difficulty
» Student Expectations in Academic Advising
◊ Be an active participant in the advising relationship
º Keep advisor informed of academic progress and challenges that arise
º Take notes during their advising sessions
º Follow through on actions discussed during advising sessions
º Respond to advising-related emails in a timely manner
◊ Accept responsibility for their decisions and actions
º Students are ultimately responsible for their academic progress and must understand curriculum requirements and policies
◊ Ask questions when they arise
• Study Abroad
» Studying abroad allows you to experience new places and cultures, gain a global perspective, enhance your education, develop key skills for employment and grow in your independence and self-confidence.
» Link: go.ncsu.edu/studyabroadtextiles
• Scholarships
» PackAssist
◊ Apply to Wilson College scholarships: go.ncsu.edu/ncstatescholarships
» FAFSA
◊ Apply for federal financial aid: go.ncsu.edu/federal_aid
• Peter R. Lord Tutoring Center
» The Peter R. Lord Tutoring Center in the Wilson College of Textiles provides FREE tutoring services for textile and non-textile courses.
» Location: Textiles Complex, Room 3280 // Hours: Monday-Thursday from 3pm-6:30pm // go.ncsu.edu/tutoringwc
• Employee Contact: Jeff Sackaroff
• Career Fair
» Fall Date: Oct. 17, 2024 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Electronic Job Board
» Link: go.ncsu.edu/textilesjobboard
• ePack
» Through it, students can search for jobs and internships, RSVP for workshops and career events, schedule careercounseling appointments, research employers and explore career paths. Wilson College of Textiles students have access to ePACK from their first day of classes until one year after graduation (alumni wishing to extend their access beyond a year can do so via the NC State Alumni Association).
• Career Resources for Graduate Students
» Link: go.ncsu.edu/textilesgradresources
Student Organizations
• African American Textile Society (AATS)
• American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (A2TC2)
• Greater Good Textile Group (GGTG)
• Latinos Unidos en Textiles (LUT)
• National Retail Federation (NRF) Student Chapter
• Phi Psi (PFP)
• Platform Magazine
• Student Ambassadors Program
• Textile and Apparel, Technology, and Management Student Advisory Board
• Textile Association of Graduate Students (TAGS)
• Textile Technology and Engineering Society (TTES)
• Tompkins Textile Student Council (TTSC)
• More information can be found at: go.ncsu.edu/textiles_student_orgs
Textile Association of Graduate Students (TAGS)
• Link to resources available to Graduate Students: go.ncsu.edu/tagstextiles
Wilson College of Textiles Counselor and the NC State Counseling Center
• The Wilson College of Textiles has an embedded, college-wide counselor for students.
» To learn more, visit go.ncsu.edu/textiles_counselor
• As part of DASA’s effort to promote the success of the whole student, the University Counseling Center believes that a healthy emotional life is the foundation for personal, academic, and professional success.
• Link: counseling.dasa.ncsu.edu
Pack Essentials Page
• NC State and campus partners have developed many programs to support students in need of food, housing, financial and educational security.
• Link: dasa.ncsu.edu/support-and-advocacy/pack-essentials
Campus Wide Resources
• Link: go.ncsu.edu/campusresources_ncstate
Graduation Page
• Link: go.ncsu.edu/graduation_textiles
