Ken McCarter, MBA ’85, enjoys being involved in the success of the OU students he mentors. “It’s always gratifying to see people achieve their goals,” McCarter says, one of the volunteers mentoring student participants in the School of Business Administration’s (SBA) Scholars program.
The Scholars program provides leadership, service and real-world consultancy and research opportunities for students with a strong academic track record. McCarter began volunteering at OU in 2008 shortly after retiring from his position as Chrysler’s vice president of labor relations by joining the SBA’s Executives in Residence (EIR) program. EIR volunteers — all experienced business leaders — maintain regular hours on campus and help where they’re most needed. In addition, McCarter also teaches in the SBA.
“The Scholars program has utilized the services of the Executive in Residence program, so mentoring was a natural progression,” McCarter says.
He and the other mentors are on hand to talk to SBA scholars about their studies and their career goals. He’s also been able to help students make valuable networking contacts for job opportunities, and offer students insights about the professional work world they’re entering.
McCarter mentored two students during the last school year.