WSU Applebaum Alumni Mentorship Program
Overview
The purpose of the WSU Applebaum Alumni Mentorship Program is to foster leadership and create an alumni-student engagement opportunity within the college to better strengthen our students' relationship with their program and their field of study.
This mentorship program at Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences was born from a need to better support WSU Applebaum students in their career development journey and connect them with alumni and industry professionals who’ve completed the journey. It provides an opportunity for any WSU Applebaum alum — whether living locally or overseas, early into their career or retired — to give back to their university community in a way that is both unique and rewarding.
Wayne State's Midtown Detroit location puts us in the center of industry and area employers. Leveraging this opportunity to connect our pharmacy and health sciences students with alumni leaders and entrepreneurs, many of whom work nearby, contributes to the profound impact of this program.
Consisting of a one-to-one match and four strategically designed meeting sessions during the fall and spring/summer semesters, the program gives alumni mentors a platform to lead and inspire. The Alumni Mentorship Program provides a myriad of opportunities to shape the future.
The foundation for the WSU Applebaum Alumni Mentorship Program is built upon WSU’s Prosperity Agenda through its three core pillars. To accelerate mobility for our students, the program connects them with industry experts, offering invaluable insights and hands-on experiences that enhance their career readiness and foster upward social mobility, particularly for those from underserved communities. This alignment with industry needs equips our graduates with the skills and networks necessary to thrive in their professional journeys.
Concurrently, the program empowers health for our urban neighborhoods by facilitating collaboration between students, faculty and health care professionals, thereby enhancing community-based care and addressing local health disparities. Through these partnerships, we extend the reach of our healthcare initiatives and contribute to building healthier, more resilient neighborhoods.
Key partners
Alumni Relations Officer – The ARO serves as the coordinator for the program and manages all program logistics and communication. The ARO executes year-round recruitment of mentors, updates semester timelines, updates form pages, develops a student recruitment plan with the eight academic departments, conducts the mentor-mentee matching, updates meeting agendas, serves as the lead contact during the program semester, sends out all program communication to mentors and mentees, conducts follow-up to ensure meetings are on track, and coordinates the celebratory breakfast at the conclusion of each program semester, in addition to other responsibilities.
Student Success Coach – The EACPHS Student Success Coach assists with strategically recruiting student participants every Fall and Spring/Summer semester. The ARO and Success Coach work collaboratively to conduct the mentor-mentee matching process and maintain close communication throughout the duration of the program. The 11 participating departments include: Doctor of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical Laboratory Science, Mortuary Science, Nurse Anesthesia, Pathologists' Assistant, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Radiation Therapy Technology and Radiologic Technology.
Board of Visitors – The BOV is tasked with supporting the Industry Mentor Program as part of the Student Success/Engagement Taskforce. The ARO provides regular updates on the program to the council and works closely with council members to identify new mentor participants. BOV members receive an invite from the ARO to participate every year/semester.
Department Chairs – The ARO works as needed with department chairs to share updates, utilize advisory boards to assist with recruitment of new mentors and ensure ongoing program support.
Dean – The ARO provides regular updates to the Dean on the status of the program, including number of student and mentor participants, program visibility, department support, and ideas to enhance and grow the program.
Development Staff – The development staff embedded in the college (Director of Development and Individual Giving Officer) may assist with referring alumni mentors to the program. These referrals are often major gift prospects.
Associate Director of Marketing and Communications – In an effort to promote the program, the ARO and Associate Director of Marketing and Communications work collaboratively to create promotional communication materials for the program, including website content, informational flyers and articles about the program featured in e-newsletters.
WSU Applebaum program start times
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Spring/Summer
- Occupational Therapy
- Pathologists' Assistant
- Physical Therapy
- Physician Assistant Studies
- Radiologic Technology
- Radiation Therapy Technology
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Fall
- Medical Laboratory Science
- Mortuary Science
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Pharmacy Practice
- PharmD
- Pharmaceutical Science