Engaging Students in Career Planning and Preparation through Ementoring

Abstract

Following a developmental model of career planning and preparation, an ementoring program was devised for first semester freshmen to (1) heighten career awareness and stimulate career exploration in food and agricultural sciences; (2) expand interest and willingness to follow career opportunities beyond the regional geographic area; and (3) stimulate deeper career exploration and development through participation in job shadowing and professional organization conferences. The ementoring program was part of a career portfolio prepared in sections of AGRI 1201, Agriculture and Human Sciences as a Profession, that were major specific for animal science majors. Impact of the experience on students was evaluated with pre‐ and post‐mentoring questionnaires using Likert‐scale (1–5, 1 = disagree or low level), selection (check those that apply), and open‐ended questions. Pre‐mentoring questionnaires (n = 128, 2002‐2005) showed a willingness to participate in the ementoring program; however, students were reluctant to relocate for career reasons. Results revealed naivete about careers, limited career awareness and work experience. A total of 79 post‐mentoring questionnaires were submitted from 2002 to 2005. Post‐mentoring results indicated gains in career awareness (means of 3.84–4.23 across years) and that gains were related to the ementor (means of 3.33–4.00). Interest in career exploration also increased (means of 3.67–4.39) as did willingness to relocate for career purposes (mean of 3.64–4.15). The ementoring experience was perceived as a beneficial experience that included problem solving (38–64%), goal identification (33–67%), and career insight (44–72%). From 77 to 88% of students wanted to continue email communication with their ementor after the course‐related requirement was completed.

Mentoring Undergraduate Students

“…Longer term academic success outcomes related to mentoring include greater degree attainment and persistence (Espinoza & Espinoza, 2012;Gross, Iverson, Willett, & Manduca, 2015). Further, mentoring has been positively linked to developmental outcomes that contribute to academic success including college adjustment (Smojver Ažić & Antulic, 2013), career and personal development (Kinkel, 2011), and civic outcomes such as social responsibility and socially responsive leadership (Haddock et al, 2013).…”

“…A small number of studies used quasi-experimental and experimental designs to compare participants with a matched group or randomly selected group of nonmentored students (e.g., Bettinger & Baker, 2011;Khazanov, 2011). The most common outcomes addressed by quantitative researchers include (a) college adjustment (Apprey et al, 2014;Meyers et al, 2010), (b) career and personal development (Haddock et al, 2013;Sams et al, 2015;Kinkel, 2011) and (c) measures of academic progress and success (Fox, Stevenson, Connelly, Duff, & Dunlop, 2010;Hu & Ma, 2010;Zell, 2009). …”

“…For instance, in an evaluation of an undergraduate STEM research program at four selective universities, students perceived that mentoring increased their confidence in professional their skills and abilities related to conducting research (Thiry, Laursen, & Hunter, 2011). Additionally, although the research design did not include a control group, Kinkel (2011) found that students who participated in an e-mentoring program experienced gains specific to interest in career exploration, career awareness, and a willingness to relocate for career purposes.…”