Next Step Major Mentoring Program

Welcome to Next Step!

Next Step Major Mentoring Program

The Office of Career Opportunities has developed a program to increase the number of students who graduate with practical work experience and increase the pipeline to full-time employment, through building professional relationships with alumni and employers. 

 

Program Mission: Engage, Equip and Empower!

When you join the Next Step Program, you are paired with a Professional Development Coach and Employer Partner within your field of study or desired career industry. You will gain access to the employer and can begin building lasting personal and professional relationships for your network to assist in your career growth. Your Professional Development Coach will provide advice, guidance and expert knowledge to assist with your career growth and development through mentorship to include areas such as industry-specific professionalism, career readiness skills, work culture and more. Employer Partners will serve as mentors for sophomores with similar professional interests in this selective, long-term mentoring program. Students and Mentors will connect monthly throughout the academic year. Recruitment will begin each spring semester.

 

Program Benefits 

  • Alumni serve as mentors for sophomores with similar professional interests in this selective, long-term mentoring program.  Employers, Professional Development Coach, and students connect monthly throughout the academic year, and mentees work towards a professional goal.
  • Employers interact with students to share industry insights through programs such as panels, classroom speaker opportunities, or ‘flash mentoring’, where employers host brief 1:1 informational interviews in person or via Skype.  These interactions create the potential for lasting professional connections with students.  
  • Build your network.
  • Connect the dots between your VSU experience and your career aspirations.
  • Prepare for the transition to life after graduation

 

Requirements & Eligibility 

  • Sophomore with at least 30 earned credit hours by start of program (Fall of each semester).
  • Minimum 2.5 GPA
  • Will commit to communicating with mentor 3 hours per month.
  • Will commit to being mentored for 2 semesters.

Application for 2019-2020

Mentee Application