PeopleGrove is a technology company that provides a platform designed to connect students, alumni, and professionals for mentorship, career development, and networking opportunities. The company's software facilitates engagement through mentorship programs, community building, and career development tools, aiming to improve educational and professional outcomes.

PeopleGrove

PeopleGrove creates transformational change at institutions large and small. Helping to drive college and university outcomes, we offer solutions for enrollment, student services, career services, experiential learning, alumni, and advancement. 

As higher education faces some of their biggest challenges today, PeopleGrove fosters the student and alumni engagement that brings resiliency to institutions.

Established in 2015, PeopleGrove’s mission is to ensure every learner has access to the people and networks needed to succeed. To date, we've helped millions of students and alumni: 
 
- 1+ million connections 
- 96% retention rate 
- 20+ million users 
- 60% of US News Top 100 Universities 
- 5/5 average rating from user interactions 
- 650+ customers served

PeopleGrove is proudly part of The Riverside Company portfolio of companies. With their partnership, we are a transformational organization that prides itself on building an environment where curiosity is rewarded and the unknown is embraced.

Who remembers their middle school science fairs? We bet you can still recall in great detail some of your hypotheses, experiments, and conclusions. You might even have one of your tri-fold boards tucked away in the basement somewhere.

But more importantly, you probably learned the scientific method. Identifying a problem, doing some research to come up with a hypothesis, designing and running an experiment to test that hypothesis, and then coming up with conclusions based on your observations.

Well when students consider a career, we need to help them replicate this scientific method. #Highered has traditionally done a pretty decent job supporting all of these steps except experimentation. Enter experiential learning (EL). Institutions that support and scale these opportunities — and not just leave them to chance — are helping students prototype their future careers so they can draw conclusions on if it's really for them.

Check out this incredible panel from across higher ed and learn how to structure an EL system that meets the needs of EVERY student.

https://lnkd.in/dVJvrSnc

Sandra Sjoberg, PhD
Kim Filer
Dr. Jared E. Moffett, D.B.H.

It's always helpful to inject a little nuance into conversations nowadays, right?

In the great debate surrounding #highered, our choices have been reduced to either "yes, it's valuable" or "no, it's not valuable." There hasn't been a lot of room for discussion between those two options. Especially in the greater media landscape.

This piece from The Chronicle of Higher Education provides a great look at some of the nuances that exist in the discussion, including how some of the external market pressures will force change in the industry. In particular, we feel that the suggestions around ensuring students have the guidance needed to navigate the experience from Day 1 are the most critical. That guidance creates a different kind of journey than many of us may think of when we look back at our own days in school. And central to that guidance HAS to be meaningful relationships that provide perspective and social capital for a learner. #WhatWereReading

https://hubs.ly/Q02kzgfR0

We've all heard of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Perhaps you've even joked about how you love conferences because you're an ESFJ. Or maybe you always volunteer for solitary work because you're an INTJ. 

But as guest author Kurt Kraiger, PhD argues on our blog, your career satisfaction and success in a role or project doesn't truly depend on your Myers-Briggs type. "Whether one is an introvert or extrovert has no bearing on how much they enjoy being a dentist. It only influences how much they talk when the patient's mouth is numbed and full of dental instruments."

Read on for Dr. Kraiger's take on the assessment and other things to consider when connecting purpose and passion to careers. 

https://hubs.ly/Q02kgc0j0

Interesting data from Inside Higher Ed on students' perception of how well their higher education experience is preparing them for a career. Of particular note are the gaps between student expectations and institutional performance across specific career-related outcomes — particularly the "finding a job I love" category. 

This is reflective of what studies have consistently shown us with Gen Z. This younger generation values having purpose and meaning in their job, often ranking that factor as more important than good pay. 

Colleges and universities have to be more proactive in helping students find that early in their journey. If a student is able to have at least a hypothesis of how they can find purpose in a career, then they have plenty of time to prototype and test that hypothesis during their student journey. #WhatWereReading

https://hubs.ly/Q02hTLGz0

If you reflect back on the mentors in your life, you'll probably think about teachers, bosses, and even coaches. But if you asked those people if they consider themselves your mentor...how many would say yes?

In 2022's Super Mentors (link in comments), we argued that individuals don't really need one, formal mentor. They need a host of connections that can help them in different situations. That same scenario is reflected in the stories presented here. Perhaps a mentor isn't necessarily a Yoda or a Glinda, but anyone in our network that we learn something from. #WhatWereReading #MentoringMonth

https://hubs.ly/Q02hTVZ10

When surveyed, alumni across institutions consistently say that there are three areas where their alma mater falls short:

-Providing access to job opportunities
-Providing the opportunity to network with other alumni
-Providing the chance to mentor students

This data is presents a challenge with a solution already built in. Alumni are identifying a need, but also raising their hands to be a part of the solution. 

Harnessing that good will allows an institution to meet a specific need while also engaging constituents with what their asking for. It just takes a little strategy and intention. #MentoringMonth

https://hubs.ly/Q02hgclb0

At it's core, it's important to remember that mentoring is a series of conversations. And like all exchanges of ideas, there are benefits to all parties if we can keep an open mind. 

"We tend to divide people into two groups: mentors and mentees. But that makes sense only in a reasonably stable world, where past lessons and structures inform the future.  Today, novel solutions are at least as valuable as old ones, and everyone can contribute something to solving our greatest and newest problems." #MentoringMonth #WhatWereReading

https://hubs.ly/Q02g-ZQw0

One of the most powerful ways to build meaningful relationships is to collaborate with others. It's why experiential learning paired with access to those relationships is so powerful. But we often aren't using collaboration strategically and just waiting for it to happen organically. 

Author and professor Eric Koester knows all about the power of finding ways to collaborate. Don't miss this presentation on how students and alumni can use that collaboration to build Super Mentors. #MentoringMonth

https://hubs.ly/Q02gFshv0

We're keeping National #MentoringMonth going with this piece from Forbes on the traits that make a good mentor. We particularly like the advice around being able to pivot. As a mentor, you may come to a conversation with a certain expectation of the mentee. Being able to adjust based on what you hear from the knowledge-seeker will not only make the conversation more worthwhile but also improve the relationship in the long run. #WhatWereReading

https://hubs.ly/Q02gjHtW0

As students return to campus after the winter break, it's a perfect time to highlight the value of the work Career Services professionals do everyday. Here are some thoughts on opportunities to amplify that impact.

https://hubs.ly/Q02fl54T0

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