Student-Focused Events
The student/professional networking events are popular every year at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference. These are great opportunities for students to make connections with professionals, which can have a positive impact on your career.
Students will receive an orange-colored “STUDENT” ribbon to attach to their name tag. All meeting registrants are encouraged to engage students in conversations and professional activities to facilitate networking.
Students will receive an orange-colored “STUDENT” ribbon to attach to their name tag. All meeting registrants are encouraged to engage students in conversations and professional activities to facilitate networking.
Student & Professional Mentor/Mentee Program
Are you a little nervous about attending your first Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference? Or are you a seasoned veteran student interested in meeting more professionals in your field? Would you like the chance to meet and talk individually with one of the professional attendees to learn about their professional journey? If so, sign up for the Conference Mentoring at this year’s meeting!
Mentorship in the natural resources field is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. Both mentor and mentee share responsibility in building a positive relationship that is focused on assisting the mentee as they navigate the natural resources profession and grow professionally. This can include, although not solely limited to: a mentor assisting a mentee with networking opportunities, offering career advice, providing constructive criticism on mentee work products (e.g. talks and poster presentation, resumes, cover letters), communicating resume building opportunities (e.g. prescribed fire and/or wildlife monitoring training opportunities), and encouragement of professional development (e.g. attending and presenting at meetings and seeking further work experience). Equally a mentee shares responsibility in engaging with their mentor by asking questions, taking advantage of opportunities facilitated by the mentor and more.
We will pair interested students with professionals of similar interests to give you the opportunity to interact personally with each other. Graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to participate. Professionals will represent management agencies, academic institutions, and non-government organizations in multiple specialties from around the Midwest. This is a unique opportunity to get to know a professional from outside your normal group of colleagues.
Prior to the conference, we will forward contact information to mentors (professionals) and mentees (students). We encourage you to meet early at the conference to get to know each other and to continue your interactions during the sessions, the student-professional networking event on Monday, social events and even after the conference has ended! Use this opportunity to get to know someone in your field personally and get another perspective on what it means to be a fish or wildlife professional today!
Mentorship in the natural resources field is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. Both mentor and mentee share responsibility in building a positive relationship that is focused on assisting the mentee as they navigate the natural resources profession and grow professionally. This can include, although not solely limited to: a mentor assisting a mentee with networking opportunities, offering career advice, providing constructive criticism on mentee work products (e.g. talks and poster presentation, resumes, cover letters), communicating resume building opportunities (e.g. prescribed fire and/or wildlife monitoring training opportunities), and encouragement of professional development (e.g. attending and presenting at meetings and seeking further work experience). Equally a mentee shares responsibility in engaging with their mentor by asking questions, taking advantage of opportunities facilitated by the mentor and more.
We will pair interested students with professionals of similar interests to give you the opportunity to interact personally with each other. Graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to participate. Professionals will represent management agencies, academic institutions, and non-government organizations in multiple specialties from around the Midwest. This is a unique opportunity to get to know a professional from outside your normal group of colleagues.
Prior to the conference, we will forward contact information to mentors (professionals) and mentees (students). We encourage you to meet early at the conference to get to know each other and to continue your interactions during the sessions, the student-professional networking event on Monday, social events and even after the conference has ended! Use this opportunity to get to know someone in your field personally and get another perspective on what it means to be a fish or wildlife professional today!
Student Mentee Responsibilities:
Professional Mentor Responsibilities:
Sign-ups for the mentor/mentee program are now open and can be done when you register. If you previously signed up, we will follow up with details and instructions for participation and pairing of mentors and mentees.
Student Mentee Responsibilities:
- Contact your mentor before the meeting to determine how and when you communicate with each other throughout the conference. A great time to meet would be at the Mentor and Mentee Meet & Greet on Sunday evening (5-6 pm) at the Convention Center. We will have stations around the room with wildlife balloons (White-tailed deer, Red Fox, Northern Cardinal, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout where you can coordinate to meet your mentor.
- Come prepared with some questions to discuss with your mentor. You may consider sending some of your questions to your mentor ahead of time to allow them to reflect on them before your meeting (Download the Mentoring Questions Guide).
- Be prepared to share some things about yourself and where you’d like to take your career in fish or wildlife management
Professional Mentor Responsibilities:
- Contact your mentee before the meeting to determine how and when you will meet
- The Student Resource Room will be available as a neutral meeting space to connect and perhaps walk from there.
- Engage your mentee during sessions, meetings, social events and at other times to discuss what being a professional means to you and in your field
- Be prepared to share your experiences and professional journey
- Leverage your contact network and introduce your mentee to other professionals who they may be interested in getting to know.
Sign-ups for the mentor/mentee program are now open and can be done when you register. If you previously signed up, we will follow up with details and instructions for participation and pairing of mentors and mentees.
Mentor and Mentee Meet & Greet
Sunday, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
All students and professionals who have signed up through the mentor/mentee match program are invited and encouraged to attend this informal meet and greet. This is a chance for you and your mentor to make contact and mingle with other students and professionals. Information regarding student-related activities and conference know-how information will be available.
All students and professionals who have signed up through the mentor/mentee match program are invited and encouraged to attend this informal meet and greet. This is a chance for you and your mentor to make contact and mingle with other students and professionals. Information regarding student-related activities and conference know-how information will be available.
Student & Professional Networking Luncheon
Monday, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
This unique networking event will feature speakers and opportunities to interact with professionals in your chosen area of interest. This is a great opportunity for students to interact with fisheries and wildlife professionals in small groups to discuss professional/career development!
We hope you make the most out of this experience.
This unique networking event will feature speakers and opportunities to interact with professionals in your chosen area of interest. This is a great opportunity for students to interact with fisheries and wildlife professionals in small groups to discuss professional/career development!
We hope you make the most out of this experience.
- Students: We encourage you to come prepared to ask questions.
- Professionals: Be ready to discuss a variety of topics, for example: career development, transitioning from school, qualifications needed for various professions, and the realities of working in the natural resources field.
Networking Bingo Card
In your registration packet you will receive a networking bingo card. Interact with professionals who fit the descriptor for each item listed. Have professionals stick sticker on BINGO card for validation. A different person must be used for each slot. Complete Bingo card with a minimum of 2 BINGOS and turn into registration table to be entered for a prize. BINGOS can be diagonal or adjacent on playing card.
Resources
Networking
Application Documents
Applying for Jobs
Resources:
- Join student organisations such as the Student Subunit of The Wildlife Society, the Student Subunit of the American Fisheries Society, the Biology Club, etc., on your campus
- Join the National and State Chapters of TWS, AFS or other environmental organisations and attend workshops and/or meetings
- Volunteer to work for a university graduate student, professor or other local fish or wildlife professional for a day or more. Chances are that experience will lead to other opportunities
- Introduce yourself to professionals in your field of interest during conferences
- Present your research at professional conferences. Posters are a great way to get started. No research? Approach a professor at your school doing a project you are interested in and ask about opportunities for extra projects.
- Get one or more mentors to assist you in getting experience and knowledge
Application Documents
- Use CV/resume of others in your profession online as an example of how to develop yours
- Use pertinent online resources to best develop your cover letter, letter of interest, etc. Be sure to tailor your cover letter to the opportunity you are applying for, do not submit the same letter to more than one position.
- Sign your cover letter with your actual signature
- Use proper grammar, spelling and have one or more people proofread your documents
- Do not include any photos of yourself. Do not include age, height, weight, etc.
- Write succinctly – a hierarchical bullet point structure works well
Applying for Jobs
- Use language from the job description to develop your cover letter, CV/resume, etc.
- Tailor your application materials (e.g., CV/resume) to each job
- Take time to sleuth out who is the leader of the project and their background. You may want to email the person to ask more about the position before you apply, as this will give you a sense of whether the position is suitable, the supervisor’s personality and demonstrate your interest in the position. However, do not harass the leader with emails or calls – one email is enough
- Do not apply last-minute if possible; sometimes application systems can have errors, and you will want time to work out those issues with human resources if they occur
- Contact the hiring manager to make sure your application materials were received
Resources: