Faculty Mentors for BS in Business and Economics Degree Students

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In the College of Business, it is a point of pride that every undergraduate business student has a faculty mentor in their area of specialization. 

Students in the BS in Computer Science and Business and BS in Integrated Business and Engineering degree programs have faculty co-directors who advise and mentor them.  Students in the BS in Business and Economics degree program are assigned a faculty mentor as soon they declare a major.

For BS in Business and Economics degree students, your faculty mentor is your “go to” person for more 
in-depth information about your major field, as it is likely that he or she teaches courses in your major.  Your faculty mentor can also give you advice about the types of professional development experiences that can help you prepare to transition to your chosen field successfully after graduation.

Please take a moment to review the Frequently Asked Questions, below.  If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask the College of Business Undergraduate Programs Office or your major department coordinator.

• When do I get a faculty mentor?
• If my advisor helps me plan my academic schedule, why do I need to meet with a faculty mentor?
• If I declare a second major, will I get a second faculty mentor assigned to me?
• How do I know who my faculty mentor is?
• Can I pick who gets assigned to be my faculty mentor?
• Is it mandatory that I meet with my faculty mentor?
• What types of questions do students ask their faculty mentors when they first meet?
• Is there anything I should do to prepare for my first meeting with my faculty mentor?
• Who is responsible for scheduling my meetings with my mentor?
• Are mentors responsible for answering my resume and cover letter questions?
• Can my faculty mentor give me my PIN for registration?

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q:  When do I get a faculty mentor?

A:  When you declare a major.  You declare a major by completing a form in the College of Business Undergraduate Programs Office that is signed by your academic advisor.  The College of Business Undergraduate Programs Office lets your major department know you declared, so the department coordinator could assign a faculty mentor to you.  Your major department’s coordinator will email you to let you know who your faculty mentor is.  You can expect to receive contact information for your faculty mentor within a week of declaring your major.
 

Q:  If my advisor helps me plan my academic schedule, why do I need to meet with a faculty mentor?

A:  Your advisor can help you schedule courses, but they cannot provide insight about the academic goals of your major courses, how they prepare you for your professional goals, and what options outside of the classroom might exist to prepare you for your next steps professionally.  Your faculty mentor is prepared to have these more in-depth conversations with you about your major and your professional goals and preparation in your field.  Think of them as complementary.  Your academic advisor and your faculty mentor can both be important contributors to your academic planning process.
 

Q:  If I declare a second major, will I get a second faculty mentor assigned to me?

A:  Yes.
 

Q:  How do I know who my faculty mentor is?

A:  The coordinator of your new major department will contact you via email to let you know who your new faculty mentor is.  If you forget who your mentor is, you could contact your major department coordinator or the College of Business Undergraduate Programs Office to verify your mentor’s name and contact information.  The department coordinators are:
• Accounting:  Terry Muniz (RBC 340; tmm512@lehigh.edu)
• BIS (in the DATA Department):  Carla Jenkins-McDonald (RBC 372; clj0@lehigh.edu)
• Economics:  Gretchen Meyerhoefer (RBC 461; gpm319@lehigh.edu
• Finance:  Julie Bright (RBC 471; jab819@lehigh.edu)
• Management:  Patti Lawrence (RBC 372; pll2@lehigh.edu)
• Marketing:  Lesley Schultz (RBC 366, las421@lehigh.edu)
• SCM (in the DATA Department):  Patti Lawrence (RBC 372; pll2@lehigh.edu)
 

Q:  Can I pick who gets assigned to be my faculty mentor?

A:  No, but if you have preferences, you could let the coordinator in your major department know.  Some departments have more flexibility than others with respect to faculty mentor assignment.  That said, you can always connect informally with faculty other than your assigned faculty mentor for advice and conversation about your major and transition to your chosen field, particularly if you are taking classes with them.

Q:  Is it mandatory that I meet with my faculty mentor?

A:  No, but why wouldn’t you?  Your faculty mentor is committed to provide information that can impact your success in your major and provide advice as you prepare to transition to your chosen field after graduation.
 

Q:  What types of questions do students ask their faculty mentors when they first meet?

A:  The questions you should ask really depend on what you need from your mentor and whether or not you already know your mentor, but here are some example questions to get your thinking started:
• What courses do you teach in the major?
• What are your areas of expertise in the major field?
• How did you get interested in this field? 
• What do you find most exciting about this field?
• How do the courses I’m taking in the major this fall prepare me for future major coursework?
• What types of careers do students in this major or track tend to pursue? 
• What major track or courses might be good fits for my interests?
• What’s the best way to schedule time with you? 
 

Q:  Is there anything I should do to prepare for my first meeting with my faculty mentor? 

A:  There’s no “one size fits all” agenda to prepare, but here are some helpful questions to consider asking yourself before your first meeting with your mentor:
• What interested you in this major?  Are there any assumptions that you have about the major that you’d like to discuss with your mentor?
• What would you like to know to determine if this major is really the right fit for you?
• Is there anything in particular that you want to know about the major now?
• Do you have any particular career goals in mind at this point, or are general career possibilities in the field something you might want to talk to you faculty mentor about?
• What major-specific advice might help you as you prepare your academic plan with your academic advisor in the coming months?
 

Q:  Who is responsible for scheduling my meetings with my mentor?

A:  YOU.  Finding out when your mentor could be available to meet each semester and how to arrange meeting time with them are great questions to ask when you first meet.  Be sure to check your Lehigh email, too, for correspondence from your faculty mentor, your academic advisor, and others in the College of Business Undergraduate Programs Office.
 

Q: Are mentors responsible for answering my resume and cover letter questions?

A: When creating resumes and cover letters, you are highly encouraged to utilize the resources provided by the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) prior to seeking feedback from your faculty mentor. CCPD offers daily group sessions covering various career topics, including building a resume and cover letter. Additionally, CCPD offers daily Resume Labs, where you can attend a working session to continue developing your resume and receive real-time feedback. By going on Handshake and visiting the Resource Library, you can get access to various handouts and templates that will further assist you in making your resume and cover letter. When you have learned the foundations of resumes and cover letters and have worked on multiple drafts, CCPD advisers can assist you with more advanced resume and cover letter questions. When you feel confident in your resume and cover letter, your faculty mentor will be a great resource to get “finishing touches” feedback and ensure that your resume is best catered to the positions you are pursuing.

Q:  Can my faculty mentor give me my PIN for registration?

A:  No, only your academic advisor in the College of Business Undergraduate Programs Office could give you your PIN.  That said, your faculty mentor can be an important go-to person before registration if you’d like to discuss major requirements or courses in more detail.  Faculty mentors could also help inform professional development priorities you could set for yourself to prepare for your career-related goals.