March 27, 2024 by SME Communications Last fall, SME announced the launch of their new Bright Minds Student Mentorship Program, designed to help select SME Education Foundation scholarship recipients find qualified, approved, SME member mentors to help guide their manufacturing education and careers. Since then, mentors and mentees have worked together to establish a cadence of regular, proactive communication that works for both parties and to develop a rapport founded in trust and collaboration. Mentors have provided valuable guidance to mentees on: résumé editing communication and interviewing skills internship opportunities networking academic study career paths Examples of successful mentorship from the program include: Working together to develop a study plan to support achievement of academic goals; encouragement to seek out study groups and academic support networks Recommending specific industry roles based on mentees’ interests; collaborative review of job descriptions that align with career aspirations Assistance with interview preparation resulting in a mentee securing a desired job role in the field Abraham “Abe” Francis of Sacramento, California, is one of the first SME Education Foundation scholarship recipients to benefit from the SME Bright Minds Student Mentorship Program. Since October last year he has been mentored by Erica Bell, who is vice president of the SME Education Foundation Board of Directors and the vice president of regulatory compliance and sustainability at Harman International, a Samsung subsidiary with global headquarters in Michigan. Read more about this successful mentor-mentee relationship here. The program, which runs annually from September through May, is open to select students who are part of the SME Education Foundation Bright Minds Community of Scholars and mentors who are SME Members. For more information and to express your interest in the Bright Minds Student Mentorship Program, email membership@sme.org.
