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The Real World Revisited … Ultimate Reward

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Vanguard Visit
In May I wrote a post about taking a group of my existing students on an exploratory visit to a large financial services company. The event was hosted by one of my former finance students who is now a rising star at the firm.

In order for the students to take advantage of this opportunity they had to  do their homework on the company first; they had to show up dressed and ready to play in the big leagues because on this visit,  four reputations on the line – theirs, the university’s, their host’s and mine.

A few days before the trip, we had a phone interview with our host  to ensure they were well prepared. When he asked if the students had any questions about the company, the trip or his position at the firm. One student asked about proper dress and that was all – not one question about the company. After the phone conference, I emailed all the students and told them I was disappointed with their level of preparation and knowledge of the company and the fact that they didn’t even know what to ask our host to get ready for the visit. They took my comments to heart and got to work.

We had a two hour bus ride from the school to the financial services firm; departure time was  six a.m.so I had planned to sleep on the way. However, my students had another idea of how I would spend my time. One-by-one, each student came to me with his/her questions for review and advice. They had all done extensive research and had good questions to ask and were ready to do more research on the bus if needed. They performed excellently during the visit.

Our host recently emailed me to let me know that one of the students who had been in the group received and accepted a job offer at his company. He was so excited that he had helped create a positive image for Bowie State University students at the company. He demonstrated his commitment to the university and our students by sharing his success with them and creating a network within his firm to ensure others get and share the same opportunity the way he has. As an instructor/mentor/coach for my students, my job is to ensure that my students are well prepared when they are presented with a great opportunity; there is no better reward than confirmation that the job you’re doing directly contributes to your students’ success.

Illumination!

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Creative ideasAn MBA student of mine scored 28 out of 100 on the first test I gave in class. Clearly, she wasn’t grasping the concepts tested. I asked her if she would meet with me an hour before class every week so that I could work with her to do better in the course. She agreed and in our first meeting, it became clear that she had been working hard but not very smart. She was struggling to solve problems because she didn’t understand what she was reading in the text.

In my book, College in Four Years, I teach students how to use outlining to improve understanding. I was sure knowing that technique would help this student.

“Read a page in the book, then close it and write a summary of what you just read without using the author’s words. If you can’t do that, either you don’t remember what you read or didn’t understand it. If that’s the case, I want you to read the page again, and outline it again until you have completely covered the important points in the chapter.” She looked at me skeptically and I already knew what she was going to ask

“Yes,” I assured her, “reading your text this way will take much longer than just reading the book. But when you’re finished, you will have a full grasp of the concepts in the material and you’ll also have a custom outline that you can use for review before an exam.”

The next time I saw her, I saw a different student.

“I really understand the material. It makes sense to me now!” I asked her to tell me what she knew about the concepts we were studying – not the mechanics of problem solutions. She was able to discuss the concepts and relate them to each other and to appropriate problem solutions. I knew instantly she had mastered the material. She was overjoyed that she now knew how to study so effectively.

“It’s exactly the same material I used to find so confusing – but know I completely understand it. I always knew what to study, I just didn’t know how. And I can use this outlining technique in your class and a lot of my other classes! I got this, Dr. Sawyer, I got this!”

Students like this one are the reason I teach. When a teacher sees a light go on in a student – when they understand, take charge and master difficult material – it is the reward every teacher is striving for. We live to see that light. I know that I helped change the direction of my student’s educational future; for her and for me, nothing is better than that!

Start College and Your Job Search at the Same Time

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A Question for the Speaker - CC FlickrThe plan used to be – graduate, paper the job market with resumes, get a great offer and land a dream job. If you start your job search when you’re in final year of college, you’re too late – the great jobs are already taken. To improve prospects for a career, consistent with the future you see for yourself, plan and implement your job search early, like freshmen early. Here are three steps to get started now, there is not a semester to waste.

1.  Interview the Professionals: Colleges and Universities bring successful scholars and business people on campus giving students the unique opportunity to interact with people that may be doing what they’d like to do one day. One student came to see me after a recent career day the college hosted. She’d listened to the presentations, but what the speakers said didn’t help, “Every presenter said the same thing, ‘This is who I am, this is what I do, and if you work hard, you can do it too.’” I told my student that to get the most out of a career event she needs to ask anyone that has the career she wants to have, ‘What is the next step for me? What can I do now, aside from doing well in school?’” Take advantage of the experts visiting your campus, get inside advice from someone who is doing what you want to do.

2.  Don’t be afraid to ask the right questions: Even if they’re uncomfortable, students need to speak up. Anyone that currently has the career they would eventually like have holds the secret to their success – they know the answers. They know how to get that job, career, life – but they have to be asked the right questions. Here are examples of questions to ask:

  • Did you have a plan for success after college?
  • If you did, what was it?
  • Did it work?
  • If it did, why did it work?
  • How much of what you did can I use today?
  • What do you think I need to do in the current business environment?
  • Will you help me make my plan as you did?

3. Use the answers to these questions to develop long- and short-range goals. Set goals on a yearly basis, while addressing shorter time frames — six months, three months, one month one week, etc. Some students resist developing a plan, saying, “This sounds really good, but I don’t have time to do it.” You’ll be surprised at how much time you have when you plan well.

Every student has the time, access and energy and, can gather the knowledge to direct their own career – but they have to start now! With confidence and the willingness to ask for advice and counsel from the right resources, they stand a better chance of graduating with great prospects and possibly the job they dreamed of. Success is never an accident – any successful person will tell you that, if you ask the right questions.

Bowie State University to Use “College In Four Years” for Freshman Orientation Classes

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Bowie State UniversityThe class of 2018 at Bowie State University has a new tool to get them successfully started on their college career. All students in freshman orientation classes are receiving a free download of the College in Four Years: Making Every Semester Count eBook courtesy of the author, Dr. Granville, M. Sawyer, Jr., who is on the faculty at the University.

So that more students have an opportunity to succeed, from Monday, September 15 through Friday, September 19, the eBook of College in Four Years will be available to everyone for free from the Kindle Store on Amazon.com.

College Is An Entrepreneurial Venture

Coaching, First Generation College Students, Higher Education, Mentoring Students, Non-traditional Students, Success In College, The Costs and Benefits of Higher Education, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Josh Smith, Granville Sawyer and Molly Matthews on Biz Talk with Josh
Josh Smith, Granville Sawyer and Molly Matthews on Biz Talk with Josh

Molly Mahoney Matthews and Dr. Granville M. Sawyer were recent guests for two shows on CBS Radio’s Biz Talk With Josh. Host Joshua I. Smith interviewed Matthews and Sawyer and the topic was Bookends, an innovative approach to college as an entrepreneurial venture that prepares college students to graduate in four years with business and entrepreneurial skills. Bookends pairs the higher education experience of Dr. Granville M. Sawyer, Jr. with the entrepreneurial/business management success of Molly Mahoney Matthews using the information and insight from Molly Matthews’ book, Unsinkable: Find A Job, Create A Career, Build A Business and Dr. Granville Sawyer’s book College in Four Years: Making Every Semester Count.

Click the player to listen to an excerpt from the show:

Interested in learning more about Bookends for your organization or institution? Complete the contact form below.

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