George Fox University’s new IGNITE mentoring program creates an opportunity for students to be matched with Industry Mentors (IM) to develop critical skills for successful career discovery and inspiration. IMs provide insight into professional habits, entrepreneurial thinking, networking skills, job choices, and more - things a student doesn’t get from a traditional class and which industry professionals are uniquely qualified to provide. Be sure to click the embedded links in the card to see elements of the IGNITE website, Start Up Guide, and other resources we have developed for the program.

You can also download the Start Up Guide which is attached in the Resources folder of this card below.

Idea (Why?)

Win, win, win.

• For the student - Having a personal relationship and regular meetings with a mentor from industry provides insight, inspiration, and information to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world. Curiosity is stimulated and real, solid connections are formed. 
• For Industry Professionals - Being an IGNITE Mentor is more than offering advice.  It’s about walking alongside and sharing wisdom and insights from their own journey. IGNITE provides a framework for industry professionals who are looking to give back and impact the next generation of engineers in a meaningful way.
• For the program / university - The IGNITE program has opened wide doors into industry partnership possibilities by connecting professionals to our program in a meaningful way.  Every fall our launch event draws all the participating professionals to campus - over 100 of them last fall - to kickoff a year-long journey of personal engagement with the engineering program through a rewarding one-on-one mentorship experience.

Impact (What?)

• At-a-glance results - Numbers from first 3 years of program:
  • Over 150 industry advisor participants, representing over 80 companies
  • 395 student participants (all in one year mentoring relationship)
  • 2,500+ meetups (in person meeting between advisor and student)

• Tangible 3 C's student outcomes
  • Learning first-hand from a practicing engineer about their work sparks curiosity and opens their minds to new possibilities.
  • Grads begin their career already having a valuable network of connections with seasoned professionals in industry.
  • Students come away with invaluable insights and information about their future career.
• Multiple auxiliary benefits:
  • Revitalizing and growing alumni engagement - over 80% of industry advisors are alumni of GFU Engineering.
  • Building industry connections - Existing partnerships with companies strengthened and new partnerships created, creating pathways to both (a) internship/co-op/job opportunities for students, and (b) real-world PBL / EML activities to incorporate in the curriculum (sponsored projects, seminars, class activities, etc).
  • Establishing a community of like-minded professionals with shared interest in investing in the lives of future engineers.
  • Providing a personal and valuable element of additional support for underrepresented student demographics (women, minorities, first-gen, etc)
• Staying Power - Over 90% of our industry mentors have expressed interest to continue in the program, signing on to mentor a new senior engineering student the following year.

Implementation (How?)

A simple concept: Professionals from industry are personally recruited, taken through a brief onboarding process, and then thoughtfully matched with a selected senior engineering student.

A focused (and lean) program:

• Monthly F2F meetings between industry mentor and student throughout their senior year
• 3-4 special social events per year (fall kickoff, winter networking event, spring startup party, year-end celebration)

Gameplan

• Recruit Industry Mentors (IM)
  • 3+ years professional experience; personally known or recommended.
  • Individually screened by program coordinator (program vision, mission, overview and expectations) 
  • Commitment of 1 meeting per month with student (in person) for full academic year
• Select students - candidates nominated for program by faculty and screened/approved by program coordinator
• "Secret Sauce": Pitch (and require) a high bar of commitment for both professionals & students.   
• Match mentors with students - pairings made based on shared interests identified from onboarding surveys for both
• Create IGNITE annual directory containing bios of all industry advisors and students
  • Industry Mentor sample bio
  • Student sample bio
• Curate and provide resources and support for IMs for effective mentoring
  • Pro-tips for effective mentoring relationships (website screenshot)
  • Inventory of suggested topics to discuss with students and shared ideas for creative meetup activities (website screenshot)
  • Monthly email with topics and ideas
• Train / Equip students - IGNITE student cohort is gathered 2-3 times each semester for session to share/discuss experiences, and/or workshop on professional skills or other personal development activities. 
• IGNITE Annual Cycle