Marquette University Alumni Association Mentor Newsletter March 2019 Program finale is opportunity to celebrate, reflect and network Join fellow mentors, mentees, campus partners and university staff April 25 for two special gatherings to commemorate the conclusion of the 2018-19 MUAA Mentor Program. Finale Celebration More than 100 program participants are expected at this annual celebration to give thanks, network and celebrate the outstanding work put forth. The finale, which will include complimentary light fare and drinks, takes place at the 707 Hub, the innovative home to the Kohler Center for Entrepreneurship, also a mentor program campus partner. New this year! Ignatian Examen You’re also invited to participate with fellow program participants for an optional Ignatian Examen to reflect, review and honor with gratitude the past months of service and engagement as a mentor/mentee. The gathering will be led by Dr. Kathy Coffey-Guenther, Arts '85, Grad '88, '98 senior mission and Ignatian leadership specialist at Marquette. Ignatian Examen 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Dr. E. J. O'Brien Jesuit Residence, Donald Schneider Chapel; 1345 W. Wells St. Seating is limited. Mentor Program Finale Celebration 5:30 to 7 p.m. 707 Hub, first floor; 1102 W. Wisconsin Ave. Register by Thursday, April 18, for the MUAA Mentor Program Finale Celebration and optional Ignatian Examen. Mentees travel by planes, trains and automobiles to shadow mentors   In the past month, many mentees have traveled locally and to the likes of Chicago, Nashville, New York and Washington, D.C., to meet their mentors. Thanks to many alumni participants making financial gifts to the MUAA Mentor Program, the new travel stipend initiative provides mentees with an opportunity to have air, train or mileage transportation expenses covered to meet and shadow their mentors nationwide. Learn about the recent experiences of these travel stipend awardees: - Meredith Gillespie, who visited mentor and retired attorney Susan Jollie, Arts ’72, in Washington, D.C. - Moyo Ogunkunle’s shadow day with mentor Peter Hoskow Arts ’99, principal and managing director at CCS Fundraising in Chicago - Mallory Winkler’s Nashville travels to meet Bob Kohl, Comm ’89 and senior director of broadcasting and entertainment with the Nashville Predators. In addition to mentees traveling beyond Milwaukee to visit their mentors, several program participants met in March for shadowing opportunities. See a slideshow of other recent mentor and mentee visits during spring break. Special thanks to all mentors for hosting mentees and sharing their insights as well as introducing them to other professionals. Mentees with mentors residing beyond Milwaukee are strongly encouraged to apply for the travel stipend program by the April 1 deadline. Mentors interested in making a gift to support the MUAA Mentor program, including the travel stipend initiative, can contact Dan DeWeerdt. Rounding third..completing goals by program's conclusion is the name of the game Did you know that 100 percent of mentors and mentees in this year's program are on track to complete their goals, according to the mid-point survey? With five weeks remaining in the formal partnership, be sure to discuss the goals you outlined at the outset to see what's done and what remains. Whether it's resume review or mock interviews, landing an internship or expanding one's network, take time to evaluate what needs to be done and determine the road to get there. Refer to the MUAA Mentor Program Toolbox for additional discussion topics and conversation starters.  Mentor goes the distance to meet mentee competing in Big East championship When mentor Andy Detesco, Arts ’69, learned his Arts mentee, Jefferson Osunkwo, would be in Ohio, he didn’t pass up the chance to meet face-to-face. As a member of the Marquette Men’s Track & Field squad, Jefferson competed in the February Big East Indoor Championship in Geneva, Ohio, approximately one hour from Andy’s hometown of Youngstown. Rather than consider the time it would take to travel to Geneva, he understood the importance of meeting Jefferson in person to enhance their partnership. “It enhances the overall relationship and takes it beyond just the exchange of information,” says Andy, who is also past president of the Marquette University Alumni Association. Jefferson recognized the value of the meeting Andy, too. “It was really great meeting him for the first time,” he says. “We spoke about my classes and how I balance athletics with school.” The pair look forward to meeting again when Andy returns to campus April 25 for the Mentor Program Finale. “Whenever possible, meeting your mentee in person is an opportunity not to be missed,” Andy says. Pregame social attracts mentors, mentees and families Approximately 100 program participants and friends gathered March 3 at the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Sports & Science Center, the year-round home of the Milwaukee Bucks. The second annual gathering provided networking and a chance to celebrate Marquette prior to the men's basketball game against Creighton. Special thanks to the MUAA Mentor Program Leadership Council, including Kelly Kauffman, Arts '97 and chief human capital officer of the Bucks (Communication mentee Molly Gramoll), and all benefactors for making the event possible. See who attended. Mentor and Bucks human capital officer Kauffman offers resume, interview tips Mentor Kelly Kauffman, Arts ’97 and chief human capital officer of the Milwaukee Bucks, has reviewed thousands of resumes and conducted hundredes of interviews during her successful career. The two-time program mentor shared her insights with mentors during the March 5 Best Practices Workshop teleconference and offers them here, too. Get them here. Fear, shame and guilt: A reflection for the first week of Lent By Kathleen Coffey-Guenther, Ph.D., senior mission and Ignatian Leadership specialist And so, we have begun ... we have received our ashes and have been counseled to turn our hearts and minds towards prayer, fasting and almsgiving to help us walk the next 40 days of the Lenten season consciously and closely as one of Jesus’ companions on the way to and through the bumpy road to Easter Sunday. And, as we see from the scripture readings this week, we don’t necessarily enter this journey in the company of all rainbows and butterflies. Instead, this journey of Lent can be a challenging invitation even for the bravest among us. Read the full reflection. Mentee goes beyond the call for further advice from alumna participant Never stop learning could be the mantra for Arts mentee and psychology major Julia Pawlowski (Dr. Michael Martin, Arts ’93 and chief psychologist at the Atlanta VA Medical Center). After a recent Mentee Best Practices Workshop, which serves as a platform for students to share their experiences and learn from each other to enhance their mentor partnership. She contacted Roselee Ledesma, Arts ’17, a clinical psychology and doctoral student at the University of Arkansas who served as a workshop panelist via teleconference for additional wisdom from a fellow psychology major. With a stroke of good luck, Roselee was on campus this week during her spring break and they were able to meet. “It was so insightful to meet with a current graduate student. Roselee had just gone through the process I will be beginning soon,” Julia says. “She gave great advice and tips related to many topics, including Ph.D. applications, the GRE and letters of recommendation. It also turns out that we have similar research interests and I serve in the same research lab when she was here,” In the spirit of giving back, Roselee was pleased to meet Julia. “It was nice to help a current mentee and discuss a variety of topics, including sharing my CV when I applied to graduate school,” she says. “We reviewed her CV, too, so I was able to offer suggestions like crafting a personal statement as well as the importance of requesting letters of recommendation from key individuals.” Approximately 60 previous participants like Roselee generously serve as a career resource for current participants through the Mentee Alumni Network online directory. Previous participants offer their experiences in a variety of areas, includin their current positions ranging from advertising, marketing, and engineering to serving in medical, graduate, and law school or non-profits. The online directory link was emailed to all mentees Jan. 18. Contact Dan DeWeerdt to receive the link.   In the News Gretchen Borden, Eng ’03, Grad ’07, and engineering manager at Harley-Davidson, has been named a recipient of The Manufacturing Institute's STEP Ahead award., which is awarded to women nationwide who demonstrate excellence and leadership in their companies and overall industries in the fields of science, technology, engineering and production (STEP). (Isabelle Yoshizaki, Engineering mentee) Dan O’Keefe, Communication mentee, serves as the audio content producer for Diederich College of Communication and social media coordinator for the university's Honors Program. (Pat Finn Comm ’87, mentor)   Jack Phillips, Communications mentee, is a spring intern at WISN News in Milwaukee. (Tim Van Vooren Comm ’88, mentor)   Jenna Santoianni, Comm ’06, has been named executive vice president and head of development at Paramount TV in Hollywood, Calif. (Katie Delia, Communication mentee)   Audrey Taylor, Graduate School mentee, is serving as the social media and marketing intern for SHARP Literacy Inc. in Milwaukee. (Ken Volante, Grad ’99, mentor)     Share your latest news such as a new job, promotion, award or service project with program participants In the News. Send a one-sentence description with a headshot (no selfies, please) to Dan DeWeerdt. Mentees invited to April 2 Career Topics Forum: Social Sciences Calling all Social Sciences majors. Are you studying anthropology, sociology, criminology and law, political science, psychology, social welfare and justice, international affairs, or any other social science discipline? Attend the Career Topics Forum: Social Sciences to learn how your degree prepares you for a variety of careers! Learn more. MUAA Mentor Program Toolbox offers relevant mentor, career resources Want to Leave a Legacy? Be a Mentor; New York Times See the MUAA Mentor Program Resource Guide for helpful tips  From mentor and mentee broad-based questions to timely and trending mentor and professional development articles, visit the MUAA Mentor Program Toolbox. See an interesting mentor or professional development story you'd like to share with fellow participants? Email it to Dan DeWeerdt.