IBIT Mentoring Program

The goal of the IBIT mentoring program is to match experienced executives with student projects. The senior executives are usually members of the Fox IT advisory board or employees of IBIT member firms.  The role of the mentor is to work with a team of students and provide ideas, feedback, and a sounding board for challenges and problems. The teams typically come from classes that have project requirements.

The benefit for mentors is the opportunity to engage with outstanding students, and for students to leverage the experience of senior executives.

The IBIT mentoring program is chaired by Bruce Fadem, Chair of the Fox IT advisory board.

Mentors

• Role: A mentor is defined as a wise, experienced, and trusted counselor and advisor.The mentor is not the project manager, researcher, or has assigned tasks.
• Meetings: The mentor should meet with the team as frequently as deemed necessary and appropriate.  Usually that is between 2 and 4 times during the term. The meetings are conducted face-to-face, via Webex, or conference call. Note: Temple students have access to Webex, you should expect them to set up the meeting.
• Progress grade: There are two grades required of the mentor on project progress. Each grade will reflect the results of a review meeting with students. The progress grade is provided directly to the team and emailed to the instructor using the following model:
  • A – excellent
  • B – good but more can be done
  • C – okay but lots more needs to be done
  • D – mediocre
  • F – unacceptable.
• Overall assessment: The mentor will also provide an overall assessment grade to the instructor as follows:
  • A – excellent
  • B – good work
  • C – okay
  • D – mediocre
  • F – unacceptable.
• Project showcase: The mentor is expected to attend the final team project presentations. The event is not a sales pitch or a financial presentation. Its purpose is to demonstrate (demo) the planning and execution of the project and the validity of the product/service idea. At the showcase, the mentors will nominate and select the IBIT sponsored ‘best’ project award.

Students

• The instructor will assign your team a mentor.
• Each team should appoint one person who will take the lead in coordinating meetings and feedback from the mentor.
• Schedule meetings at least 2 weeks in advance based on the mentor’s availability.
• Be ready to meet the mentor at a place of their choosing.
• Arrive at each meeting on time and ready to discuss your project along with relevant supporting documents
• The mentors cannot provide technical support – they will be most relevant and useful in thinking through the goals, specifications, and design of your project.
• Mentors will typically select one team project for the IBIT sponsored ‘best project’ award.

To participate in the IBIT mentoring program, please contact Laurel Miller at ibit@temple.edu.