Mentorship Program Helps Student Make Important Connections

Abi Skinner graduated from MSUM this past spring with a degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing. She is now working as a customer service associate at TNT Kid’s Fitness. During her time at MSUM she participated in the executive mentorship program and was paired with Ariel Hermanson. Ariel is a senior project manager at Flint Group.

The executive mentorship program is something that many participants recommend both students and area professionals take part in. Abi chose to join based on recommendations from several people she knew on campus. Ariel got involved in the program through one of her coworkers.

“Participating in this opened up a new opportunity for me. It’s really fun to get involved with your community says Ariel.

There are many benefits to participating in this program. Both students and mentors learn a lot throughout the process.

There are two segments to the program: students meet with their whole class and have individual meetings with their mentors.

During the classroom portion of the program there are different discussion topics and guest speakers throughout the semester. They also have virtual meetings with mentors.

Ariel assisted Abi with many things during their individual meetings. She helped Abi with her resume, LinkedIn profile and more.

The pair quickly bonded during their time in the mentorship program. They discovered they have many similarities and became friends.

“We have a lot in common and we learned that throughout the whole semester,” says Abi.

The friendship Abi made with Ariel isn’t the only valuable connection Abi got out of this program. Ariel opened new doors for Abi by connecting her with some of her coworkers at Flint and giving her the opportunity to learn from them.

“I appreciate all of the connections and professional development I experienced throughout the semester because I think it really helped me grow,” says Abi.

This program does an excellent job preparing students for the future and boosting their confidence. One way Ariel did that with Abi was by scheduling mock interviews for her with some of her coworkers.

“I learned that I’m capable of so much more than I thought I was,” says Abi. “There were a lot of moments I was like ‘oh I really do know about this’, and I was able to go out of my comfort zone.”

Transitioning from college to the professional world can be a tough process. Having a mentor there to guide you through it and give you advice along the way is very helpful.

“In my final semester I had a lot going on so having someone to go to and keep me on track was really nice,” says Abi.

Both Abi and Ariel got a lot out of the great experience.

“It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and make connections,” says Ariel. “It’s also a fun way to give back and learn about yourself.”