7 minute read
Academic Advisory Boards Show the Power of Partnership
illustrations Jude Buffum
Board of Visitors, Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics
When Allegheny College student Morgan Libell ’23 and alumna Barrie Christman ’74 began their mentoring relationship in spring 2020, they expected it to last for only three meetings during that semester.
But almost three years later, they’re still going strong.
“Since meeting with Barrie, I was able to land competitive internships in risk management and corporate merchandising, develop numerous career skills, and become more confident in myself,” says Libell, a business major and global health studies minor. “She has been a great support system for me to have as I try to navigate the professional world.”
Libell and Christman’s mentorship pairing came about through the Board of Visitors in the College’s Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics (CBE). Established in 2001, the Board of Visitors is an advisory body of accomplished business professionals, primarily Allegheny alumni, who provide guidance and valuable perspectives for students and faculty alike.
“Board of Visitors members consistently bring innovative and creative, yet pragmatic, ideas to the table to help improve the outcomes of Allegheny students,” says Timothy Bianco, CBE co-director and assistant professor of economics. “Members understand the many paths to success as graduates of Allegheny College themselves, and they are eager to pass this information along to current Allegheny students in promoting future student success.”
Along with mentoring students individually, the Board of Visitors members return to campus each spring for a one-day conference designed to help students use their college experience to achieve their career goals. Last spring’s conference, for instance, included networking sessions on succeeding in graduate school, leveraging the Senior Comp and extracurricular activities to find a job, and making the most of mentoring opportunities.
Board of Visitors members represent a wide range of industries and geographic areas. Christman served as chairman, president, and CEO of Principal Bank and Principal Trust Company in Des Moines, Iowa. She joined the Board of Visitors in 2008 at the invitation of Economics Professor Earl Adams (now emeritus), who was her Senior Comp advisor.
During Adams’ tenure as department chair, Economics Professors Don Goldstein (now emeritus) and Steve Onyiewu founded the Board of Visitors. Its conference and other programming are supported by an endowed fund established in honor of Adams by William Brown, Jr. ’80, who has served on the College’s Board of Trustees.
Christman says she found the Board of Visitors to be a stimulating environment where volunteers can make a direct impact on student success. As Christman shared her expertise as a mentor, she also gained insights into the student goals and experiences that in turn were helpful as she spoke with faculty about developing professional learning opportunities.
“It’s a very symbiotic relationship, all to the good of the College,” says Christman, who served on the Board of Visitors for 13 years.
CBE Co-director Chris Allison ’83 says the Business and Economics Department has benefited greatly from the Board of Visitors’ expertise in a continually evolving marketplace.
"Sometimes when you are mired in the day-to-day, you miss seeing the forest for the trees," says Allison, who is also an Allegheny trustee. "Our CBE board members provide our faculty with different perspectives, which is paramount in creating practical educational experiences.”
Input from the Board of Visitors has helped to spur or enhance initiatives such as the Financial Literacy Challenge, in which students develop a personal financial budget and investing plan. The challenge is sponsored by board member Lance Zingale ’77. He provides funding and is also a judge for the CBE’s annual business-plan funding contest, the Zingale Big Idea Competition.
CBE Co-director Chris Allison ’83
Christman, for example, helped Libell tailor her résumé to different internship applications, and the pair held FaceTime sessions to roleplay interview questions. Christman has offered big-picture advice, such as encouraging Libell to keep an open mind when it comes to her career path, along with more specific guidance about navigating the workplace.
“Even though it seems minor, Barrie has guided me a lot on body language, professional vocabulary, and having confidence in myself,” Libell says. “She knew I had the drive to go wherever I wanted, but she made me see that I had it in me to do it.”
Their mentoring relationship has even extended beyond Christman’s term on the Board of Visitors, which concluded in 2021. Going the extra mile is at the heart of the board’s service to Allegheny students.
“The interaction between the Board of Visitors and students is easily one of my favorite things to see as co-director of the CBE,” Bianco says. “It simply cannot be replicated in the classroom.”
Technical Advisory Board, Department of Computer Science
In 1979, Allegheny College became one of the first small liberal arts institutions in the U.S. to introduce a program in computer science. Over four decades, its alumni have gone on to successful careers as developers, executives, educators, and other leadership roles in the field.
Now, a dedicated group of those graduates has joined forces to give back to the program that gave them so much, forming the Allegheny College Computer Science Department Technical Advisory Board (TAB). The board works to support the department and strengthen student experiences and outcomes by engaging with students and alumni, advising on curriculum, and fundraising.
"My time at Allegheny taught me the importance of giving back to one's community," says Jennifer Haddox-Schatz ’00, inaugural TAB president. "It is an honor and privilege to be able to serve in this role and support one of the best communities of which I've ever been a member: Allegheny's Computer Science Department."
The TAB is developing initiatives to help students: • Learn about diverse industry opportunities, technologies, patterns, and processes
• Form close relationships with alumni in the industry • Be better prepared for a career post graduation The board is also devoted to meeting alumni needs, such as: • A sense of satisfaction at contributing to the next generation of computing professionals, through a shared venue and experiences • More prominent exposure for the
College, Computer Science Department, and alumni regionally and nationally • Access to talent for alumni businesses and employers, supporting recruitment needs for diverse and well-rounded graduates who meet a known standard of excellence
The TAB kicked off its work with a “Power Up” fundraising campaign in the spring that generated $16,155 for the department, surpassing its $10,000 goal. The funds will allow students and faculty to work together to create, release, and maintain open-source software for course platforms and support the department’s laptop lending program.
But that generous effort was just the beginning. TAB initiatives being explored or rolled out include individual mentoring and open-source project mentoring and code review, guest lectures on specific technologies in classes, Senior Comp guidance, paid internships, and targeted fundraising opportunities.
“What STEM needs at this juncture is more creativity, more humanity, more ethics, and more servant leadership,” says Ahmad Douglas ’02, a founding TAB member. “Alleghenians, through their liberal arts studies and the school’s unique culture, are well prepared to fill these needs.”
INSPIRED BY THESE STORIES?
You, too, can help current students by providing career and networking advice. No matter your major, industry, or area of expertise, current students can learn from your background, career path, and experiences and benefit from your insights as they explore their own paths, options, and opportunities.
To serve as a resource, join the more than 1,300 alumni already using Gator2Gator, Allegheny's new networking platform, at gator2gator.allegheny.edu. In addition, to post internships and jobs in the Allegheny network, visit joinhandshake.com and create an employer recruiting account. By posting positions in this portal, all Allegheny students can access and apply for positions.
For more recruiting information, visit the Career Education Employer Center (sites.allegheny.edu/career/employers) and connect with the team at career@allegheny.edu.
