A mentoring program created by Bill Sherman and Ben Salm (Managing Director of the Securities Analysis Center at the University of Oregon). This is an FAQ for student participants.

1. The Securities Analysis Center
Career Insights Network
To the Student
Purpose
The purpose of the Career Insights Network is to provide Securities Analysis Center students
with the opportunity to get an “insider” perspective on the finance‐related career path of your
choice, through substantive interactions with seasoned professionals. Mentors have been
recruited from a variety of positions and industry backgrounds to give you a good blend of
experiences and insights. These alumni and employers are volunteering their time because of
their close connection with the SAC and their generosity to University of Oregon students.
Objective
The ultimate objective of the Career Insights Network is to increase students’ awareness,
knowledge, and understanding of various career paths within finance, by connecting
experienced individuals from industry with MBA students from the SAC in a mentor‐mentee
relationship. These are important relationship to the SAC and, as such, demand a high level of

2. seriousness and commitment. This is not about pursing a job or internship with the mentor, but
about thorough information gathering to further career development.
Application Process
A short letter of interest (1‐3 paragraphs) and resume will be required for consideration to the
program and to facilitate appropriate matching of mentee with mentor. In this letter, please
specify your first and second choices of career paths to explore.
Timeline
• Application deadline: Email application materials to Ben Salm by October 31, 2008.
• Matching process: Takes place during the month of November by SAC and LCB Career
Services.
• Evaluation process: Ongoing feedback and end‐of‐year survey in June, 2009.
Program Specifics
Communication: You will be required to initiate contact with you mentor and will be informed
of the most appropriate means of getting in touch with him/her. During your initial contact,
you should arrive at the best time to connect with your mentor on a regular basis. This first
contact will also be a time to discuss your goals for the mentoring relationship and specific
areas that you would like to grow and improve in as a professional. You will receive a group
briefing with Ben Salm and Bill Sherman focused on tips for facilitating a substantive
conversation with your mentor.
• Goals: Students should have at least one specific goal related their career development (i.e.
exploring specific career paths, job titles, companies, and industry norms)
• Outcomes: We intend to solicit ongoing feedback from both the mentor and the mentee.
Success will be measured on the quality of relationships engendered by the program and by
students’ ability to follow‐through on commitments and sharpen their career goals. In
summary, we want this to be such a rewarding experience that you will recommend it to
the next generation of MBA students and perhaps continue the relationship with your
mentor into your post‐graduate professional life.