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Executive Student Partnership Program
What is the Executive Student Partnership program (ESP)?
It is a mentor program offered by the Zicklin Graduate Career Management Center and Baruch’s Executives on Campus. This is a wonderful opportunity to:
• be matched with a corporate executive who has volunteered to serve as your mentor from September to May.
• develop a relationship with an experienced professional from whom you can learn about career paths, obtain an inside view of industries and gain insight into organizational cultures.
• receive guidance, support and counsel regarding your career aspirations. Your mentor can also serve as a professional role model and advocate.
• discover how a senior level executive meets difficult challenges in real-life business situations and develops corporate strategy.
The ESP program, as its name suggests, is a partnership program that requires mutual commitment and consistent interaction. You and your mentor work together, jointly participating in the relationship.
What is a mentor relationship?
The partnership between a mentor and a mentee is built upon a foundation of respect, trust and professionalism. Students are expected to communicate with their mentors openly and honestly, giving their mentor as much information as possible for him/her to be able to effectively help you with your career goals and strategy for the transition back into the business world. Students are also expected to be open to constructive feedback. Both the mentor and the mentee are responsible for taking the initiative to learn and benefit from the mentoring experience.
How much time is required for this mentorship?
You get out what you put in! Both the mentor and mentee are responsible for maintaining communication (email, telephone conversations) throughout the year, with in-person contact being made at least one time per month.
In addition, students are expected:
• to attend the launch event in early fall
• participate in two mentee meetings per year
• provide an end-of-the-year evaluation of the program, communicating all concerns (and positive feedback!) and current employment status to the student EOC representative.
Who is eligible to participate?
The class of 2011 ESP program is open to all Zicklin MBA and MS students graduating in February, May or September 2011.
If you are graduating after September 2011, please note that the program is offered every year for the following year’s graduating class. The first 100 students to apply will be eligible for a mentorship.
How do I apply?
Click on this link for the application
Only complete applications will be considered, which include: detailed contact info, 500 word essay and resume. If you meet the eligibility requirements
• Applications will be accepted starting: June 29, 2009
• Application deadline: July 28, 2009. No late applications accepted
What should the 500 word essay entail?
(if I want to prepare my application in advance)
The essay serves as a means of telling the executive more about you so that he or she may be better prepared to assist you. It also assists the GCMC & EOC to match you with the most appropriate executive. In 500 words, your essay should focus on three things:
• Tell us more about yourself: It’s your response to someone you meet whom you find interesting, and who asks you to, “Tell me about yourself.” It’s not your life in exquisite detail but the high points presented in a clear, compelling fashion. It’s broader than the summary statement in your resume. It reveals more of the whole you, not just the professional side.
• Your ambitions: Why are you pursuing a graduate degree at this time? What do you hope to learn and/or accomplish? What are you considering as potential career goals at this point in time? What do you think you want or don’t want? What about the longer term? What is important to you in the next, say, 10-15 years? Think about more than job titles and industries, and it’s OK not to know exactly what you want to do. Speak (write) from the heart.
• Your hopes for participation in the mentorship program: What are your expectations for this program? What are your expectations of the participating executive? What level of commitment are you prepared to make?
What if I missed the deadline, or I am not graduating in 2011, can I still participate?
No, but there are a wide variety of opportunities for students to meet and network with executives throughout the year through EOC events, such as CareerHour on Location, Executive Speaker Series programs and corporate information sessions. Refer to the Admitted Student website for more information on how to connect with the GCMC and the EOC office.
Who can I contact for more information?
For more information, contact the Graduate Career Management Center at 646-312-1330 or zicklin.gcmc@baruch.cuny.edu.