News Story

A single conversation can change the course of a career. For students in The Media School, those conversations are now built into the classroom experience through a new mentorship program connecting them with alumni already working in the industry.

The inaugural program launched this semester pairs Media School students and alumni, with a goal to increase student retention, academic performance, and adjustment to college life. This pilot year, 25 students were paired with 26 alumni, matched based on career goals, interests, and geographic locations.

The student and alumni pairs meet several times over the course of the semester, allowing students the opportunity to gain valuable insight into their prospective careers in media.

Jill Romack, career services specialist at The Media School, said students and alums discussed topics like internships, resumes, portfolios, and more.

“Also, asking mentors, ‘what career advice was helpful for you? What was your path and journey like?’” Romack said.

“Just hearing another professional talk about ‘this is how I got to where I am today’ is helpful for a student trying to figure out what they’re doing.”

Romack said mentorship programs such as this one are valuable because students are starting to build professional networks once they step on campus, and connecting with industry professionals is a great way to launch a career.

“Ultimately, the best way to figure out what you want to do is by talking to people who do jobs that you think you want to do,” she said.

“You will thank yourself when you’re a senior, when you’re an early professional, that you spent your time in college building those professional relationships. That’s a network that you’ll have for the rest of your life, and so starting now makes things easier.”

Greta Snell, BAJ’10, is currently partnered with a student as part of the program. Snell, the vice president of strategic initiatives at Dittoe Public Relations, also serves on the alumni board at The Media School.

Snell said some of the things she remembers the most from her time at IU were the conversations she had with people who were doing what she was inspired to do post grad. In an introductory public relations class, Snell said a speaker came in and talked about her career in PR, which was a lightbulb moment for Snell and inspired her to become a mentor for students.

“I think that is something I’ve carried with me throughout my professional careers, like anytime I can, I want to be that person for others,” she said.

Through the program, Snell said she and her student partner have discussed a multitude of career topics. She has answered the questions he’s had about pursuing a career in PR, reviewed his resume, and coached him for an interview.

“Even in our limited interactions so far, I feel like we’ve had some really powerful conversations on career development, and my hope is that when he goes into that next interview, he can apply the things we chatted about at the last one,” Snell said.

Ron McFall, assistant dean of strategy and administration at The Media School, said the positive feedback from participating students and alumni clearly demonstrates the impact and potential of the program.

“By all accounts, the pilot year of our Student-Alumni Mentorship Program was a resounding success, offering students a new resource for their personal and professional development,” he said.

“We’re excited about expanding and further supporting the program into its second year and beyond. This is only one of what I anticipate will be many new opportunities for alumni to engage with The Media School.”

For students interested in applying to the program, Romack said to keep an eye out for an email in August. The email will direct to a survey, where students can answer questions about their career goals and what they would hope to gain out of a mentor relationship.

“If students are interested [in joining the program], being able to articulate why you want to be a part it and what you think you contribute to a mentorship relationship is important,” Romack advised.

Snell plans to continue partnering with students interested in a PR career, and said the experiences she received from her own mentors were invaluable. She said there is something powerful about that knowledge, encouragement and coaching you can receive from experts in the field.

“I look back, and that was 20 years ago, when I was a freshman at IU through my senior year,” Snell said. “The most powerful connections that I had, learning experiences, or moments where that lightbulb went off, were often me interacting with a current professional who was just giving me a different lens into what that might look like.”