Description:

This presentation will guide participants how to create, structure, execute, assess, and improve a large-scale effective virtual coaching program on no budget. The Bauer College of Business is one of the nation’s most diverse business schools, with typically two-thirds of students being underrepresented minorities. With approximately two-thirds on financial aid and half being first generation, most Bauer students do not enter college with a professional network or support system. The Connecting Bauer to Business course was developed to address this in their first semester through structured networking and group activities. However, in a virtual environment, it would be more difficult for students to develop personal connections with professionals. A new initiative was needed to provide the framework necessary for professional engagement and connection for incoming Bauer students and the New Student Corporate Coach Program launched in fall 2020. There are more than 1,000 students in the Connecting Bauer to Business class each semester, so students work in groups of eight for many of their assignments throughout the semester to ensure they make friends and build a personal support network at the college. Group membership is through random assignment, so the students do not know one another. The college reached out to trusted recruiters and alumni to solicit interest in participating in the program to support and coach teams of new students for a semester. More than 150 recruiters and alumni applied. Of those, 117 were selected to serve as coaches. In fall 2020, these 117 coaches were each assigned to one of 117 teams in the class in need of professional support (other teams were already assigned to projects with corporate sponsors), providing professional connections for 936 students. Throughout the semester, the coaches and teams had structured and informal connections to work on group dynamics, group projects, presentation skills, professionalism, LinkedIn profiles, mock interviews, and informational interviews. The New Student Corporate Coach Program sought to provide incoming Bauer students with: - A personal connection to the business world during the fall 2020 semester of quarantine, when professional networking was limited. - Personal coaching for the group’s case study project, individual LinkedIn profiles, and mock interviews. - A more connected feeling to the Bauer College of Business during a time when students were not physically on campus for events and activities. - A “guide” who could help them see how their virtual experience was still preparing them for the “real world” of business. Ninety percent of the students said the Connecting Bauer to Business course made them feel more engaged and connected at the college in fall 2020, despite all course activities being completely virtual and remote. We are confident we could not have hit this number without the personal connections created and facilitated by the group coaches. Seventy-three percent of student participants said their group coach, specifically, made them feel more connected to the college. To quote one student, "[Our mentor] gave us more direction and posed valuable questions about our project and careers . . .I felt someone cared about a small group of people and [it] felt nice to get out of the mass of students created by online learning." Many of the objectives were reached during the initial launch semester for New Student Corporate Coach Program. Of students surveyed, 91% said they thought the program should be continued in the future, regardless of quarantine status. Also, despite the time commitment involved, 85% of corporate coaches said they would like to participate in the future. Ninety percent of students also replied that they found their coach approachable, which is crucial in building rapport. More than three-quarters (76%) said their coach provided useful feedback for their career development. Given the positive feedback for the program, we will look to improve the offering moving forward. Launching initiatives like the New Student Corporate Coach Program show that experiential learning and engagement is not only still possible in the virtual setting caused by the pandemic but can still thrive.

Audience:

Career Services

Level:

Emerging

Track:

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Type:

Traditional

Main Speaker:

Zach Wortzel, C.T. Bauer College of Business -- University of Houston

Additional Speakers: