As students trickled back onto campus after the Hurricane Florence hiatus, a group of dedicated juniors made its way to Top of the Hill’s Back Bar on Franklin Street on Tuesday evening – not to belly up to the bar, but for a whirlwind round of meeting, greeting and conversation with strangers.
Welcome to mentor speed networking, Kenan Scholars-style.
This is the second year that junior-year Kenan Scholars have met this way with members of the program’s Board of Mentors, who provide the participants in the business leadership program with professional guidance and support.
For many of the participants, Tuesday’s event was their first chance to get to know one another. “It was a phenomenal way to interact with the mentors we’ll be spending time with in the coming year,” said Kenan Scholar Laura Gerlach. “I connected with people on a level I hadn’t expected.”
The mentors, a select group of business leaders, near-peers, policymakers and faculty who volunteer their time and expertise, also expressed their enthusiasm. Veteran business executive Dan Sullivan, lead of GSK’s Americas, Great Britain and Ireland Environment, Safety and Sustainability team, said, “I was impressed that the students knew so much about my company, and asked truly probing questions. It showed me that the future is in good hands.”
The speed mentoring event was just one of the many opportunities Kenan Scholars have to interact with the Board of Mentors over the coming year – but from the energy and excitement in the room, it’s a sure bet that it was one of the most fun.
For more information on the Kenan Scholars program, visit the website.
“It was a phenomenal way to interact with the mentors we’ll be spending time with in the coming year. I connected with people on a level I hadn’t expected.”