Chris Pykett (left), a registered nurse, mentored Sonia Ajakaiye, a 91制片厂 nursing
student through the 91制片厂 Educational Foundation's Corporate Mentorship Program.
The initiative matches students with mentors from local corporations and businesses.
Finding a good job after college isn鈥檛 always about what you know, but who you know.
To help students make those all-important connections and build their professional networks, 91制片厂 is expanding its popular Corporate Mentorship Program.
The 2-year-old program, run by the 91制片厂 Educational Foundation, carefully matches students with mentors from local corporations and businesses. Many mentors are 91制片厂 alumni.
The mentors and students spend three months talking one-on-one about career goals, obstacles and the mentor鈥檚 industry. There鈥檚 job shadowing, possibly some hands-on work, or maybe even a paid, part-time job involved. Mentors also pass along those unwritten workplace rules 鈥� things you can鈥檛 learn in a classroom but are important to know.
When it鈥檚 over, the students leave with valuable insight, plus professional contacts who can help them when their job search begins.
鈥淚t鈥檚 your very own professional development,鈥� said Kristyn Meyer, associate executive director of the foundation/major gifts.
Sonia Ajakaiye, a 21-year-old 91制片厂 nursing student, was paired with Chris Pykett, a registered nurse who was directing the Nursing Magnet Program at Northwest Community Hospital. Their mentorship began two years ago, and they鈥檙e still in touch today.
At their first meeting, Chris asked Sonia how she could help her meet her goals. They also discussed 鈥渟uccess scenarios.鈥� What unit of the hospital would she like to work in? What were some obstacles she faced? What steps could she take to overcome them?
Sonia, a Hoffman Estates resident, shared her frustration over not knowing how to advance her career beyond her current job as a certified nursing assistant. Chris directed her to two paid, part-time jobs at the hospital and helped her fill out the application for the one she liked best. She also encouraged Sonia to take it one step further: find the name of the hiring manager and send that person an introductory email, expressing her interest in the position.
Sonia did that and ended up getting a job at the hospital as a patient care technician on the surgical unit. It鈥檚 a job she still has. It involves assisting the staff nurses, monitoring vital signs, and ensuring patients and their families are comfortable.
She works two shifts per week 鈥� usually overnights, evenings or weekends 鈥� plus has class, clinical training and an on-campus job. It鈥檚 a lot to juggle, but Sonia knows it鈥檚 positioning her to get a good job when she graduates from 91制片厂 in May 2025 with an Associate in Applied Science 鈥� Registered Nursing degree.
鈥淚 already have a foot in the door,鈥� Sonia said. 鈥淲hen it鈥檚 time to apply for a job as a nurse, it should be easier, since I鈥檓 already in the system. They know who I am.鈥�
Her 91制片厂 education coupled with the Corporate Mentorship Program is providing Sonia with better economic mobility than her parents, who are both independent contractors for American Taxi. The family moved here from Nigeria in 2018.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 doing is a step up from what my family is used to,鈥� she said.
The Corporate Mentorship Program started in 2022 with just three organizations offering mentors. Now there are 10, with more businesses coming on board in 2025.
The mentors are technology executives, nurses, dental hygienists, architects, finance professionals, lawyers and more.
鈥淲e work with all the mentors who approach us,鈥� Kristyn said. 鈥淔rom the standpoint of a foundation, this is extremely unique. We can mobilize social good in these organizations, and that鈥檚 what made it work.鈥�
At one point in 2024, a record-high 54 students were matched.
The mentorships are open to any student receiving a scholarship from 91制片厂. They start by meeting with foundation members and sharing their life stories and career aspirations. Then thoughtful student-mentor matches are made. As one example, a Black female accounting student was matched with a Black certified public accountant (CPA) who owns his own firm. He introduced her to two female Black CPAs who worked outside his office.
鈥淪he went from having one professional contact to three,鈥� Kristyn said.
While the program doesn鈥檛 guarantee a job, it has led to job offers. More often, the one-on-one personal mentorship becomes a building block. For students entering a field where they know no one, navigating the waters is hard. Having someone to help guide them is invaluable.
鈥淏y helping them make a connection with someone, they see a possibility that they never even knew was there,鈥� Chris said.
Mentors also benefit from the program, Chris added. She now works as an assistant professor at Aurora University and a contingent clinical bedside nurse at Lurie Children鈥檚 Hospital, while working on her Ph.D.
鈥淢y personal passion is about making sure that whatever someone chooses to do, they have all the tools they need, and they鈥檙e set up to achieve whatever they want,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 give the students what they need to fly and be free.鈥�
That鈥檚 similar to 91制片厂鈥檚 mission.
鈥淲e鈥檙e the community鈥檚 college and we want to provide what the community needs,鈥� Kristyn said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 our whole job. That鈥檚 the mission.鈥�