GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTIONS OF THE ROLE OF INDUSTRY MENTORS IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Karen DRUFFEL; T. Bridgett PERRY-GALVİN

Article Details

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTIONS OF THE ROLE OF INDUSTRY MENTORS IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Authors:

Karen DRUFFEL | T. Bridgett PERRY-GALVİN

Publisher:

Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Derneği

Journal:

International Journal of Business and Management Studies 2011 Vol.3 Issue 1, pp.193-202

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2011

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2000809644

Frequency:

Bi-Annual

eISSN:

1309-8047

Abstract:

 

Framingham State University is located outside Boston, Massachusetts in the US;
 it offers liberal arts and sciences programs as well as professional education at
 the undergraduate and graduate levels. A pilot undergraduate mentorship
 program invited local industry professionals to campus to mentor undergraduate
 students. The experiences of participants in the pilot program appear to reveal
 differences in expectations about the benefits of the program and the functions of
 the industry mentors. The mentoring process at the university level includes three
 constituencies: university students, academic professionals and industry
 professionals. A preliminary review of the literature suggests mentor functions
 can fall into two categories: providing emotional support (encouragement) and
 facilitating career development. Based upon additional information derived from
 student focus groups and piloting interviews, the perception of the functions of
 industry mentors in an undergraduate mentor program was assessed. Data were
 collected using a survey that addressed three categories of mentor functions: (1)
 preparing students for the job search (e.g., providing insight into specific jobs,
 advising about interviewing and resumes), (2) providing emotional support 
 (encouragement) and (3) modeling professional behavior or skills (e.g.,
 communication skills). The data from surveys were compared across the three
 groups (students, faculty and staff, and industry professionals) and by gender
 groups. Results suggest differences in expectations of mentor roles held by women
 as compared to those held by men. In addition, results suggested that students
 may have different mentoring expectations than academic faculty. These findings
 are discussed in light of the needs for female undergraduate mentoring
 experiences for students majoring in business, and the mismatch of student and
 faculty perceptions in undergraduate business programs.

Article Details

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTIONS OF THE ROLE OF INDUSTRY MENTORS IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Authors: Karen DRUFFEL | T. Bridgett PERRY-GALVİN

Publisher: Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Derneği

Journal: International Journal of Business and Management Studies 2011 Vol.3 Issue 1, pp.193-202

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 5/2011

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2000809644

Frequency: Bi-Annual

eISSN: 1309-8047

Issues

Authors:

Karen DRUFFEL | T. Bridgett PERRY-GALVİN

Publisher:

Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Derneği

Journal:

International Journal of Business and Management Studies 2011 Vol.3 Issue 1, pp.193-202

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2011

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2000809644

Frequency:

Bi-Annual

eISSN:

1309-8047