j.bain – First-Year Seminar 2017

The Mentorship Program

The mentorship program, hosted by NABA, pairs up students and professionals based on the students intended major. This program is a great opportunity for Baruch students to become more affiliated and involved with their field of interest. The meeting I attended today was really about the correct way to treat and contact your mentor. In other words, a way to build a long lasting relationship with your mentor. Furthermore, we went into the specifics of how we should contact our mentors. For example, through emails, phone calls, and face to face meetings, which would be the least frequent out of the three. Also, we were told that our meetings with the mentor, we needed to come up with short term goals, that we wanted to accomplish before the program ended. While this program lasts about 4 months, the relationship between mentor and student should last years, or even the rest of your life. This idea was one the caught my attention because in order to reach your goal or become successful in your personal field, you need help along the way. In addition, saying in touch with your mentor long term, will allow you to ask question along your path. This is an example of networking because your mentor may be able to introduce you to he right people and those people can introduce to more people. I believe it is a significant step in the right direction being given the opportunity to learn and interact with someone that has experienced what I soon will.

Blog #2 Academic Advisor

As a freshman at Baruch College, it can be difficult to stay on top of all the significant events that take place. However, a great way to get through this problem is simply to ask questions and find people that can help. For example, I was recently informed that the time to choose spring semester classes was soon approaching, but I wasn’t sure what classes were more necessary over others. Often students will think it’s seen as a negative to let others know you’re confused or in need of assistance, however I feel it shows that we care enough to seek out help in the first place. Instead of waiting to the last minute to seek out assistance, I decided to go to the Academic Advisement Center on the 5th floor, and asked to sort out all of my issues with an advisor. During the session, the advisor was able to shows me a list of classes that I would be able to choose from for my next semester. He explained how and why the classes would support my major and academic requirements, which really took a load of stress of my back. After answering my question, he even asked questions about my progress so far at Baruch college and made sure that I had no further questions or issues. Following the session, I realized how easy it is to stay ahead of the game by just asking for help and support when needed. Furthermore, I am now well aware of the type of classes I should choose from. This resource in Baruch College is very beneficial to the freshman class, as a group of students in a new environment taking on new responsibility. As a result, the next time I have any question, I will not hesitate to seek academic assist.

Blog #1- NABA

As a freshman at Baruch, I feel one way to make the process of adjustment easier is getting involved with clubs and groups that are interesting in your perspective. One of the clubs that I began looking into was NABA, or the National Association of Black Accountants and recently attended their introduction meeting. My first impressions on the club was that its members are committed and success-driven in the work they do and events held towards the development of the club. Also, after listening to each group member speak about what it is that they do, I felt all around it was a productive and pleasant atmosphere to be a part of. I felt that they were relatable and easy to understand by not only what they said but how they said it. One interesting aspect about this club is the exposure to a vast network of alumni and professionals that have experienced and gone through fields you have interests in. As my intended major is Business Finance, I feel that if I chose to join NABA, I would be able to learn and experience real world situations, and having such an opportunity would only better prepare me for challenges I may face in the future. To be a part of NABA, allows you to gain opportunities and knowledge that many others in the field of Business may not have access to and this particular knowledge may be the deciding factor between two resumes. Furthermore, I realized that these particular opportunities may be presented in any club or activity you choose to be a part. If I realized anything walking away from the introduction meeting, it would be to remember that there are always people in the Baruch community willing to help and push you forward, you just have to open yourself up to the opportunity.