Fostering connections and guiding brothers to success beyond the chapter
By Tabitha Parent [The Record | Volume 143 – Issue #1 – Spring 2024]
For many college students, spring doesn’t just signify a pleasant turning of the weather and the anticipation of the upcoming summer break, as it might for some.
Instead, it means long hours spent agonizing over cover letters, all in the pursuit of that elusive summer internship. One that will hopefully add the necessary pizazz to strengthen their resumes in the impending post-grad job search.
For Joseph Rollinson, a junior at the University of Missouri-Columbia, the idea of a long-term career has hovered in his consciousness for a while. Like so many others across the country, Joseph has recently found himself in the brutal throes of the summer internship search. As a mechanical engineering major and a math minor, Joseph is looking for a summer job in the automotive industry – ideally something related to racing or designing and restoring cars.
“The internship search has proven harder to be done in the automotive industry,” Joseph said. “You just have to land one thing, so that’s what I’m hoping to do, and then that one thing will lead to many more.”
While the summer job search can feel daunting and confusing for students who have yet to enter the workforce, Joseph has been lucky to rely on the networks available to him as a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
The True Gentleman Mentor Program is just one resource underneath SAEs Career Connect initiatives that taps into the Fraternity’s extensive alumni network, bringing together Brothers – collegians and Alumni of all ages – from across different levels of their educational and professional careers for conversations and guidance regarding their education, careers, and more.
Daniel Alsaker (Idaho ’72), who is the President of Broadway Group, which owns and operates Broadway Flying J Travel Plazas in Washington, Montana, and Nevada, emphasizes the transformative power of mentors in his own life, especially in times of personal adversity.
“It was really after I got out of college that I picked up a couple of mentors within the industry that I ended up making a career out of,” Dan said. “Those guys were absolutely, unbelievably good for me, and I say that because my father passed away unexpectedly at a very young age, and had I not had those mentors, I don’t think I could have pursued this career the way I’ve been able to.
Together in weekly meetings, Joseph and Dan talk about internships, their chapters, and careers. For Dan, who has participated in various different mentorship roles throughout his life, meeting new people and talking through new ideas is fun and interesting.
“I was fortunate enough to get matched up with Joseph,” Dan, who is the Chapter Advisor for Idaho Alpha, said before explaining how he and Joseph have connected about the process of re-establishing an SAE chapter and recruiting new members. “We have spent a little bit of time on that, to be honest with you, outside of the internship conversation, so the depth of our relationship has gone a little bit more and certainly back to the SAE side of the equation, which I think is incredibly fun for me.”
Joseph had less of an idea of what to expect from his conversations with Dan but felt they had an immediate connection during their initial meetings.
“Meeting Dan, we kind of got into it. It kind of just clicked,” Joseph said. “I wasn’t expecting Dan to have the perfect internship ready and aimed at me, but helping guide me in the direction, just giving me some advice has really been helpful, and some confidence to keep going.”
Over the course of their mentorship, Dan has reached out to friends to see if they have a connection that could lead to a job opportunity for Joseph. Dan updates Joseph on those calls and emails, and they continue to explore other avenues.
Despite having never met in person, Joseph says that their conversations are easy and never awkward.
“The SAE bond is cool in that way,” he said. “Even though you’ve never met somebody, you still have a connection to them.”
Are you considering a career change? Just getting started? Need help with your résumé or a big interview? A strong Mentor can help you achieve your professional goals in the career field of your choice. Members can request a Mentor through The SAE Portal.
Are you interested in volunteering as a Career Mentor? Alumni can also sign up on The SAE Portal.
Mentoring can benefit you by:
- Allowing you to pay it forward and help support the growth and development of another SAE
- Developing your coaching, communication, and leadership skills
- Helping you build new relationships
- Exposing you to new ideas
To access your SAE Portal account, please visit portal.sae.net. For questions about SAE Career Connect, please email careerconnect@sae.net.
