California Polytechnic State University

A STUDENT'S GUIDE TO MAXIMIZING YOUR EXPERIENCE

Before meeting with your mentor, make a list of your interests and goals. What are your goals for the mentoring relationship; what are your professional goals after graduation. List the questions that you have concerning the profession or industry that is of interest to you. Your preparation will help the mentor get acquainted with your needs, interests and goals. Remember, first impressions are lasting impressions; be prepared.

After your first meeting with the mentor you should develop a Plan with a timeline based on the results of the first meeting, and the Guidelines provided in this document.

The Plan need not be comprehensive or exhaustive in scope since it should evolve and be modified as the relationship develops and new issues arise. However, the initial Plan should answer several important questions:

• What will you do,
• When will you do it,
• Where and how do you get started.

The Plan will help you and the mentor allocate time and provide benchmarks to evaluate progress and success.

The Executive Partners Program provides all students with a guide containing instructions, tactics and mentoring strategies to make the process as enjoyable as possible. Email ocob-epp@calpoly.edu if you would like an electronic copy of the Student’s Guide.

EXECUTIVE PARTNERS PROGRAM - Find an Entrepreneurship Mentor

Find an Enterpreneurship Mentor

Katcho Achadjian State Assemblyman	Rodney Babcock Founder of Next Intent	Joseph E. Brocato Professor and Consultant
Jeff Buckingham Telecommunications Industry	Paul Lichtman International Film and Television Productions	Dave Cox Marketing Industry
Denise Dudley Educator, Administrator, Author	Mark Landon Founder and Executive Director of the Nature Corps	Clay Appleton Financial Services
Michael V. Smith President/CEO of Earth Systems, Inc.	Janice Odell Finance/Accounting	Henry Lane President, Customer Craft
Jim Valdez Entrepreneur, College of Business Faculty	Abbey Silverstone Technology Entrepreneur	Thomas J. Sherman CEO Founders Community Bank
Stephen Yost Financial Services	George DuBois Owner Jed Delta Corporation

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo • Orfalea College of Business

Last Update: 05/31/2009

Executives Partners Program
Orfalea College of Business
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
805.756.2704