Alumni mentorship program helps new students feel welcome at Wright State

Once a Raider, always a Raider. Wright State University’s Alumni Association lives by that motto and puts it into action by connecting experienced alumni with new students to help them feel at home at Wright State.

That’s the idea behind the Alumni Ambassador PACK — Positivity, Assistance, Community and Knowledge — a student recruitment and retention program that pairs first-year students with an alumnus, who serves as a mentor during their time at Wright State.

“Alumni and students are matched by two factors: intended major, which is the primary factor, and geography,” said Bing Bingham, alumni relations officer. “For example, all the nursing students in the PACK program are matched with alumni with nursing degrees.

If a match based on major is not possible, the student’s place of origin or high school will be considered.

The program has grown to include about 220 alumni ambassadors and nearly 800 students.

“Ideally, as the program grows, we will have enough alumni participation to match every single incoming first-year student,” Bingham said.

For many alumni, PACK offers a way to give back while drawing on their own Wright State experiences.

Alum and PACK program volunteer Logan Krause said the program is a great way for alumni to give back to Wright State.

Logan Krause, a computer science graduate and senior full stack engineer at 3dB Labs in West Chester, has served as a PACK ambassador for three years.

“I was happy to be that bridge for incoming and current students,” said Krause, a native of Arcanum. “As a student moving from a very small town to Dayton, it was a shock to my system. I wish I had PACK when I was a student. A quick talk with someone who had been here for a while would’ve helped.”

Krause enjoys sharing stories with his PACK students, often covering such topics as Homecoming Week, secret study spots and “general advice that I wish I knew as a freshman.”

Students also say the program makes a difference.

Kayla Metz, a junior majoring in human resource management, was paired with Emily Hamman, Wright State’s vice president and chief human resources officer, when she was a first-year student. They bonded over their shared interest in human resources and have stayed in touch.

“It was nice to be paired with someone who was in HR,” said Metz. “It’s relevant to what I’m learning and experiencing. It’s a great matchup in that sense. When I met her in person, we talked a lot about HR. Being able to talk with her and get her advice is valuable for the undergrad experience to come out successful.”

Hamman, who earned an MBA from Wright State in 2004, agreed.

“Because she’s an HR major and I’m in the HR field, it’s even more impactful to mentor a student in a field you have experience in,” Hamman said. “We’ve talked less about the logistics of going to college and more about the HR field.”

Kayla Metz, a junior human resource management major, was mentored by PACK volunteer Emily Hamman, Wright State’s vice president and chief human resources officer.

Metz encourages students and alumni to join the PACK program.

“The mentorship aspect is important to students,” she said.

Krause said the program is a great way for alumni to give back to Wright State.

“Think back to when you were a freshman — it was an entirely new environment,” he said. “You can offer experiences to ease them into the best part of their lives.”

He added, “The PACK experience overall has been great.”

How to join the PACK

The Alumni Association is always looking for more alumni and students to join the PACK program:

• Student registration
• Alumni volunteer registration