![AdobeStock_206887627-[Converted].png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6ae8b3_565afd9e76d04958812d284cc0c0a333~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_531,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/6ae8b3_565afd9e76d04958812d284cc0c0a333~mv2.png)
MENTORING PROGRAM BY Lowell Knauss
Plans for bringing the mentoring program into reality were shared with the Cabinet at their February 17, 2020 meeting (see history below). In March the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States and lockdowns began. Homecoming was canceled, face to face mentor/mentee meetings became impossible, plans for a mentee retreat were scrapped and curriculum was discarded. Also, the workshop on mentor selection (for the undergrads) never happened.
Never the less, new plans were made and mentors recruited. Application/profiles were created for both mentors and mentees. We began to collect mentors.
The undergrad chapter supplied a list of brothers who wanted to be linked and I, as Program Coordinator, made the needed links.
As of this report there are seven mentors linked to mentees. All active undergrads asking for mentors have been linked with one.
Each mentor now has the following hand outs: Questions that may be asked on first phone call, Drivers and Motivators (short test), Myers & Briggs (short test), along with “Startup Tips and Aids” booklet. They also have a copy of the program passed in January of 2020.
Present mentoring program
The present mentoring program is like a “Milking Stool”. It has a seat with three support legs:
The Seat – The program itself (Passed by the Alumni Council January 2020) is up and running with the links that have been made (see above). We will see how it works and how helpful it is to our undergrad brothers.
The First Leg – The news notes. It has been up and running since September15, 2020. It is published once a month on the 15th throughout the school year.
Brother Ben Feldman (a psychotherapist by trade) will also be writing for the “Mentoring Moment” so with his articles we may increase the number of publishing dates. Ben will be writing on the problems of our times and what specifically is problematic to a college age man in a pressure-cooker age.
All brothers are invited to and welcome to write articles for the news notes. The “Mentoring Moment”, as a rule of thumb, is kept to two pages with no more than 300 to 400 words. It is written for a brother between 18 and 26 years of age who is in college.
The “Mentoring Moment” was originally designed as an addition to the “Startup Tips and Aids” booklet. It is sent out to mentors, undergrad brothers, interested alumni and put-on line. It is also sent to National and as I understand has been sent to other Alpha Sig Chapters.
The Second Leg – This is the mentoring library that is being built for the AO Undergrad Chapter. At present there are two books that have been given both books by Rick De La Guardia a brother from the University of Miami, Engineer to Entrepreneur and TAP- tap into you potential. The Alumni Chapter bought the first book and Rick gave us the other. Rick has also given us permission to use his material in any way we wish.
The Third Leg – is the conference or Zoom calls between the undergrad chapter and one or a few of the alumni. The undergrad brother expressed an interest in interviewing an active on a regular bases to get to know the alumni and learn life from their story.
This conference/Zoom is a program of the undergrads and they will be the ones to set it up. At present there has been no conferences or Zoom calls.
History
The history of the mentoring program begins with the interest of the Cabinet and its president in the need for the alumni to help the undergrad brothers with the stress and challenges of college life.
The first involvement with an undergrad by an alumnus was tried at the request of the Grand Chapter Adviser. This took place during the 2018-19 school term. It was for the most part unsuccessful after the first contact, for lack of direction, and contact was allowed to laps.
At the 2019 Homecoming Scott Brumburgh talk to me about the need for an alumni program that would help the undergrads. The Chapter was in the process of being rebuilt and the Alumni Association wanted a program designed in a mentoring fashion. We began to brainstorm together.
I spoke with the first helping mentor, Bill Lawrence, to find out what went right and what went wrong. I followed up with a meeting with Mike Bell, then Grand Chapter Advisor, to hear what had been done with the Chapter. Mike and I also did some brainstorming as to what a mentoring program would look like.
As a result, a proposal was made to the Cabinet, a program was put together and plans created for its implementation. In January of 2020 the Cabinet passed the “AO Chapter Actives Mentoring Program”
From February 17, 2020 Cabinet meetinG
AO Chapter Mentoring Program. Lowell summarized the further development of the Mentoring Program materials and his meetings with GCA Mike Bell and more recently Michael Mitchell, focusing on the use of the AO website to handle the program, such as applications for mentorship. Michael pointed out that when he first started setting up the mentoring program concept, he had generated an application form, sent it out and received some applications back. Lowell and Michael will work with that list going forward, with the program probably being formalized at Homecoming. Between now and then Lowell will work on designing the undergraduate and selected mentor member orientation retreat. In terms of roles, Michael will manage the website and Lowell will manage the mentors. Mike Bell will manage the appointment of mentors to undergraduates. In terms of financial support for the program, Lowell thought the only need might be for gas reimbursement for mentors traveling to Marshall, if they wanted it. Lowell and Michael will keep the Cabinet informed of their progress as they get ready to launch. One further detail is to review the Mentoring Program with MVC administrators on the role of mentors and the ethical standards and practices being put into place. Mike Bell will likely lead that task.