Women in Business: Mentorship Matters

As more women are climbing the leadership ladder, they are discovering how the power of mentorship magnifies career success and satisfaction for the mentor and mentee. 它还
creates a continuum where professionals who benefited as mentees pay it forward as mentors.

That’s the shift a new Women in Business (WIB) mentor program at OU’s School of Business seeks to maximize by creating a dynamic network of experienced women business professionals paired with female undergraduate business students.

That satisfaction is exactly what mentor Meghan (Chamberlain) MacDonald, MKT”12, experienced as a member of the pilot program. “Many people played an influential role in shaping my career. I embraced getting involved in this mentor program to pay it forward,麦克唐纳说。, 参谋长, 博世. “To my surprise, it was much more. Nothing compares to the mentor-mentee relationship.”

The mentors and mentees in the program echo that sentiment, recognizing the benefits span beyond the formal program.

“Empowering” is how Rebecca (Braga) Stoutenger, ACC ' 13/MAcc ' 14, describes the feeling of sharing her career triumphs and obstacles while guiding her first mentee through an internship search and interviews. “I loved watching my mentee grow,” adds Stoutenger, finance leader, American Axle & 制造业. “I’m proud to provide her advice, then watch her use it to be successful. She has grown so much as a professional.”

Her mentee, Shea Allor, project management major, appreciates the valuable counsel Stoutenger shared. “It was a great opportunity to ask questions and gain insight from someone who has real experience,Allor说。. Allor credits the program and Stoutenger for equipping her with the confidence to navigate future career challenges.

The connection Kristiana Bozinovski (left), 管理信息系统专业, formed with mentor Meghan MacDonald (right), MKT”12, proved pivotal to helping Bozinovski launch her career. (图片来源:Sarah Swarz)

除了提供她的学员, Kristiana Bozinovski, then a senior in management information systems, with guidance on landing her first career position, MacDonald encouraged Bozinovski through the transition from student to professional. “I saw myself in her,” MacDonald says. “I remember how I felt in the months leading up to graduation — as though the whole world was changing.”

That connection proved pivotal to launching Bozinovski’s career. 在她找工作的时候, when Bozinovski learned of opportunities that meshed with her qualifications and career goals she sought MacDonald’s advice and inspiration.

“Meghan mentored me through the stages of searching for my next opportunity, and supported me through preparing for interviews, and reviewing and negotiating offers,Bozinovski说.

Following the successful pilot with eight mentor-mentee pairs,the program is expanded to
provide more emerging and established professionals the chance to hone their skills and grow their network.