Opportunities From: NC State University

The ECE (Electrical and Computer Engineering) Mentor Program pairs undergraduate and graduate students with an ECE alumni to serve as their mentor. Matches are made based on a number of factors, including hobbies and student/mentor industry interests. The ECE Mentor Program gives students the opportunity to learn more about the industry while also helping students to broaden their professional network. The time commitment is 3 hours/semester. Sign up here! 

Hear from some of our former mentor/mentees here! 

Interested in participating? Click the Respond button above, or complete this Google Form to express your interest.

EM 675 is a professional practicum designed for students who are currently employed and applying their graduate education directly within the workplace. Throughout the course, students complete professional projects while receiving faculty guidance, mentorship and opportunities to learn from experienced leaders and professionals.

Each semester, students identify the professional topics on which they would most value additional mentorship, advice and perspective. Alumni and professional volunteers are invited to share their experiences, lessons learned and practical insights in areas that align with those interests.

A key learning outcome of the course is helping students develop the ability to communicate complex work, recommendations and results effectively to executive audiences who may not have deep expertise in the student's technical or professional domain.

Guest Speaker

Share your professional experience and practical lessons related to one or more areas of student interest. Sessions typically include an informal presentation or facilitated conversation followed by student questions.

Typical commitment: 60-90 minutes

Professional Q&A Panelist

Join other professionals for a facilitated discussion and student Q&A. Panels may explore topics such as leadership, organizational dynamics, cross-cultural communication, customer experience, career development or organizational transformation.

Typical commitment: 60-90 minutes

Final Presentation Panelist

Listen to students present the outcomes of their professional projects and provide constructive feedback from the perspective of an experienced professional or organizational leader. Volunteers do not need to be technical experts in the students' project areas. An important part of the exercise is helping students learn to communicate effectively with senior leaders and other audiences outside their areas of expertise.

Typical commitment: Up to 2.5 hours, depending on the number of student presentations.

Previous topics of interest from students have included:

Leadership and Management
Strategic Leadership
Organizational Change
Business Transformation
Innovation
Data-Driven Decision Making
Executive Communication
Organizational Culture
Cross-Cultural Leadership and Communication
Leadership Across Teams and Organizations
Leadership Perspectives and Approaches
Career Development and Professional Growth
Leading Through Change and Uncertainty
Building and Leading Effective Teams
Decision Making and Organizational Influence
Lessons Learned Throughout a Leadership Career

Guests are encouraged to draw from their own professional experiences and perspectives rather than prepare a formal presentation.

The goal is to make participation meaningful while requiring as little preparation from volunteers as possible.

Volunteers will receive relevant information in advance, which may include:

Course and student audience overview
Purpose and expectations for the engagement
Suggested questions or discussion prompts
Presentation materials or pre-reads when serving as a final presentation panelist
Session logistics and Zoom information

The faculty member will connect with volunteers in advance as appropriate to discuss their background, interests and the best fit for the class.

EM 675 is offered year-round, including summer. This Fall, the class will meet virtually on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.

At the beginning of each semester, students complete a survey identifying their highest-priority areas of professional interest. Those results are generally available during the first week of class, and guest engagements are then scheduled throughout the semester.

Because student interests and professional development needs change from semester to semester, alumni and professionals may express interest in participating at any time throughout the year.

Professionals from a wide range of industries, career paths, leadership experiences and areas of expertise are encouraged to participate.

Interested in participating? Click the Respond button above, or complete this Google Form to express your interest.

EM/EGR 501 - Leadership and Strategic Change provides students with an opportunity to explore leadership through the experiences of professionals who have led organizations, teams, initiatives and periods of significant change.

Alumni and senior executives are invited to join the class as individual guests or panelists to have an open conversation about their leadership journeys.

Rather than delivering a formal lecture, volunteers are encouraged to share the experiences that shaped them as leaders, including successes, difficult moments, unexpected challenges, lessons learned and how their leadership approaches evolved throughout their careers.

Students will then have an opportunity to engage directly with the guest or panel through facilitated discussion and Q&A.

Previous topics of interest from students have included:

Heartbreaks and Joys: The Leadership Journey
Personal stories of meaningful wins, setbacks, sacrifices, and lessons from your leadership journey, including how those experiences shaped you and the way you lead today.
Strategy Execution
Stories of bringing people together around organizational priorities, navigating competing perspectives, and translating senior or governing-board direction into thoughtful, effective action.
Change Management
Stories of navigating the challenges that naturally accompany change, building understanding and engagement, and helping teams or organizations achieve lasting transformation.

Women in Engineering Leadership: Pathways and Perspectives
Stories and perspectives on women's experiences in engineering leadership, including navigating career pathways, defining success, developing as a leader, and lessons that may help others along their own journeys.

Cross-Cultural Leadership
Stories of leading across cultures, locations, and perspectives, including navigating differences in language, communication styles, time zones, workplace norms, and expectations, and the lessons those experiences taught you about effective leadership.

Guests are encouraged to draw from their own professional experiences and perspectives rather than prepare a formal presentation.

Students benefit greatly from hearing what leadership looks like in practice.

Possible areas of conversation include:

How your leadership journey developed
Important career decisions or turning points
Successes that shaped your approach to leadership
Challenges, setbacks or difficult leadership moments
Lessons you wish you had learned earlier
How you have approached organizational or strategic change
How you communicate and build support for change
How you work across teams, functions and organizational cultures
How your leadership approach has evolved over time
Advice you would offer emerging leaders

The session will include time for students to ask questions and engage directly with the guest or panelists.

The engagement is intentionally designed to require minimal preparation.

Before the class, volunteers will receive:

An overview of the course and student audience
Information about why their participation is valuable to the students
Suggested questions and discussion prompts in advance
Session expectations and logistics
Additional information needed to prepare for the conversation

The faculty member will also be available to speak with volunteers beforehand to learn more about their professional experiences and help determine the best fit for the class.

EM/EGR 501 is offered during the fall semester, with classes meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00-7:15 p.m.

In-person participation is preferred, giving students the opportunity to interact directly with alumni and senior leaders. Virtual participation via Zoom can also be accommodated when necessary.

Professionals with significant experience leading people, organizations, initiatives or strategic change are encouraged to express interest.