|
Been
IM-ing lately? Discover a special kind of e-mail relationship
that'll help you solve academic and life concerns!
Cyber
Mentors Work
By
Robyn Tellefsen
March 2002
The
CollegeBound Network NewsClick -- Think you need
face-to-face contact in order to experience a positive and
fulfilling mentoring relationship? Not so, say many engineering
students. That's because these students are taking advantage
of the e-Mentoring program at the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) International where they are gaining valuable
insights into the working world.
"We
hoped to provide a valuable resource for our student members
that indicated they wanted to know what real-world job situations
are like," says Joseph Barbieri, PE., director of member
services at ASME. So far, the program has been a major success.
"We surveyed the participants at the end of last year's
program to determine if their needs are being met," reasons
Barbieri, and "learned that we are right on target."
Through ASME, Jaclyn A. Papuga, a mechanical engineering major
at Penn State University, University Park, PA, is being mentored
by Jeff Vande Voort of the Ford Motor Company in
bi-weekly and weekly e-mails. Recently, Jaclyn and Vande Voort
have been discussing the effect of an engineer's business
travel on family life.
"Being
a woman in the engineering field, I'm concerned with how to
balance caring for my future family while staying committed
to my profession," says
Jaclyn. "I've
found [Vande Voort's] advice and input very helpful in deciding
what I want to do with my life in the coming years -- both
professionally and personally."
According to Barbieri, not only are students like Jaclyn happy
with the program, but over 90 percent of last year's mentors
have returned for another round this year -- a sign that both
parties are benefitting from the 'clicking' career connection.
While
there may be some truth to the notion that a face-to-face
connection between mentor and mentee has worked best in the
past, Barbieri feels that in this new technological age, being
a supportive cyber resource is definitely possible. Besides,
these engineering students aren't complaining. They feel the
e-Mentoring program's benefits far outweigh its drawbacks.
"I
have gained knowledge in what engineers do in the workplace,
how to get involved in the automotive industry, how to balance
personal life and work, and an assurance that all of my schooling
will really pay off in the end," Jaclyn insists.
If,
however, you're not into engineering, cyber-mentoring may
still be for you. Ask about such mentoring opportunities at
school, or surf the Internet in your field of interest. It's
sure to be worthwhile.
|
