Cross & Crescent

“Making Men Better Men” is at the heart of the principles of Lambda Chi Alpha.

The Joseph T. Charles Mentor Leadership Program strives to be a vehicle that enables our members to attain the necessary insight into career development and engage in the exchange of ideas with brothers who look to impart accrued wisdom in the area of “real life.”

Just as many did as big brothers, alumni must continue to act as role models and teachers, passing on the true spirit of Lambda Chi Alpha through brotherhood.

Program’s Beginnings

The Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation, through a generous gift from Joe Charles (Culver-Stockton 1964), founded the mentor program in the fall of 2001.

This program was designed to create and provide a link for undergraduate members to their future through advice and coaching from alumni of distinction in their chosen professional career paths.

This program is a network of alumni and friends who are willing to provide Lambda Chi Alpha members with information regarding various career paths, geographical insights, and knowledge gained in previous work experiences.

The vision for the mentor program is to provide each Lambda Chi Alpha undergraduate with an opportunity to find a career mentor who will provide career guidance, advice, and information to help the mentee succeed in his career after college.

In the six years this program has existed there have been several important changes. The first was when the program transformed from a direct mentor/mentee connection program to an online networking program.

The staff and volunteers found that an undergraduate desires the opportunity to choose his own mentor (or mentors) instead of simply being provided the contact information for one alumnus.

With the new online network, mentees can search through the alumni profiles and identify individuals with whom they are interested in communicating.

The next highlight of the mentor program came in 2005, when Lambda Chi Alpha partnered with JobBound, a nationally recognized expert in career recruitment, to produce the Job Guide. This comprehensive resource helps members launch their careers as they plan to graduate from college.

The Job Guide contains information on how to prepare a resume and cover letter, develop a network of contacts, and fine-tune interview techniques. Other topics include time management, business etiquette, and workplace initiatives that will help our members succeed in their chosen professions.

Registered participants can download the Job Guide on the mentor program website.

Future Emphasis on Marketing

The future of the Joseph T. Charles Mentor Leadership Program is planned by an advisory board of volunteer alumni, who evaluate the progress and reach of the initiative annually.

In 2007, the advisory board has placed an emphasis on branding and marketing.

“We want to grow the number of mentors and undergraduates that are taking advantage of this great program and using it effectively,” says Ray Lutzky (Rensselaer Polytechnic 2002), an advisory board member. “The best way to do that is to improve our outreach — take it directly to the chapters.”

Plans call for new resource guides that will help mentors and undergraduates navigate the program, as well as new promotional materials targeted directly at undergraduate members.

“Participants need information on networking, interviewing, and other general career advice that we can provide up front,” Lutzky says.

Ultimately, the advisory board is working towards a shift in the program initiative from strictly one-to-one mentoring into a global career network for alumni.

“Alumni can join the network without the expectation of direct mentoring over a long period of time,” Lutzky says. “There are many other ways alumni can help us without the time commitment of individual mentoring.”

Ways alumni can help include resume review/editing, connecting undergraduates with professional organizations, giving class schedule advice, or even providing insight into a geographic area.

The expectation is for undergraduates to have positive mentorship experiences so as they move out into their careers, they will eventually become the next generation of mentors.

As undergraduates find value in the program, they are encouraged to become young mentors upon graduation. That way, they can use their positive mentorship experience to help another brother in need of sound career advice.

As the number of brothers engaged in the mentor program increases, it will continue to grow and evolve into a more robust network.

“We have great faith that the program is strong and continuing to attract talented alumni mentors,” Lutzky says. “It’s a testament to the connection many alumni feel exist between their own professional success and the skills learned while serving as a chapter leader.”

Successful Connections

In July 2007, an undergraduate used the mentor program to identify an alumnus because he was interested in learning more about job opportunities in higher education.

He used the mentor program because he found himself at the end of his undergraduate experience with no real direction.

When asked how the mentor program helped him understand more about career options he replied, “My mentor took me through his career path and also outlined several alternate routes, including graduate school.”

He added, “The best piece of information I gained from my mentor is that there is not always a cookie cutter way to get into schools and professional endeavors. You must always look at several options and not put all of your eggs in one basket.”

When asked what advice he has for other undergraduates in the mentor program, he says, “Take the time to email and call anyone of interest because you never know the piece of your life puzzle a mentor can help you find.”

Register Today

Now that you’ve learned about the past and the future of the Joseph T. Charles Mentor Leadership Program, it’s time to sign up. There are two simple steps to finding a match.

First, take three minutes to register. You will be prompted to enter contact information, field of work, and the areas you are interested in helping (or getting help if you are registering as a mentee).

Step two is to navigate through the profiles by using the simple search machine. You can sort the profiles based on geography and job category.

Although the outreach responsibility rests on the mentees, there is nothing holding a mentor back from reaching out to mentees he can help.