Twentieth International Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations

Abstract

Students often express concern of insufficient access to diverse leaders in their program of study. By incorporating informational interviews into the course curriculum, students expand their professional network, explore potential mentor and coach leaders while gaining self-confidence, public speaking skills, refining business acumen and communication, and conduct qualitative research. Diverse leaders in the student’s field of study provide action learning opportunities to students in face-to-face, remote, or blended interviews. Students apply technology platforms, critical thinking, and problem solving techniques during these informational interviews. This community activity provides students the opportunity to engage with diverse leaders. These informational interviews also provides the diverse leaders who are subject matter experts (SMEs), community leaders, the ability to explore how they can support students with informational interviews which can lead to job shadow days, professional development sessions, mentoring, coaching, internships and/or fellowships. SMEs can also learn from professors how to become involved in higher education as an internship host, mentor, coach, advisory board member or future educator.