University of North Carolina Athletics
During small group discusssions, alums Erin Cox (now a dentist) and Kate Scholl (a veterinarian) spoke with the health care group.
Alum Mentoring Builds Tar Heel Connections
October 12, 2021 | Field Hockey, Student-Athlete Development
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In most scenarios, coach Karen Shelton would do her best to keep her UNC field hockey team from looking too far ahead, choosing instead to focus on the next game, which on this particular Saturday morning was just over 24 hours away.
But Shelton was indeed asking her team to look WAY ahead, and offering them some outstanding role models to assist in doing so.
As part of the team's 2021 Alumni Weekend on Sept. 24-26, the Tar Heels held a mentoring workshop, networking with former UNC players as the current student-athletes continue – or begin – planning for life after graduation.
"Their time here is going to go by faster than they realize," Shelton said. "Especially when they're freshmen, it seems like they have all the time in the world before graduation, and then suddenly it's here. The goal of this event, and of our mentoring program, is to be sure our Tar Heels are ready for the next step."
On Sept. 25, about 15 hours after the Tar Heels had wrapped up a 6-1 ACC-opening win over Boston College, the team held a short practice to prepare for the following day's game against UConn, then looked ahead to larger goals. They divided up into groups of current and former Carolina student-athletes to discuss working in a variety of fields including health care, education, law, marketing, sales and business. Within those groups, topics of discussion ranged from interviews and resumes to searching for a job to the best way to frame your student-athlete experience to a prospective employer.
"It was a privilege and a great opportunity for us all to connect with the alumni and learn about their specific experiences in the work field," said senior Meredith Sholder, who plans to attend PA school and participated in the health care discussion. "I truly felt like I had all my questions answered, and it helped me feel more confident and prepared. I am very excited to continue working with the alumni in navigating my future, and I speak for my teammates when I say we are incredibly appreciative that these wonderful ladies are looking out for us."
The groups also discussed the transition from college life to the workforce, and the ways that the work ethic learned as part of the team will carry over. ("Nothing I've faced in my career is as hard as some of our workouts were," one alum shared with a laugh.) And they offered excellent advice to the current team, with a few highlights:
• Stay in touch with your former teammates for a bond that grows stronger over the years.
• Get involved in the UNC alumni network in the city where you live
• Keep a small bit of UNC memorabilia, like a coffee mug, on your desk at work to inspire conversation and sometimes fun rivalries with co-workers who are alums of rival institutions
• Always wear sunscreen ("And when you think you have on enough, put on more.")
Kristen McCann, who played for UNC from 1997-2000, is spearheading plans for the mentoring program. After graduating from Carolina in 2001, she went on to play for the U.S. National Team before attending William & Mary for a graduate degree. She now runs Focus Events, which provides field hockey and lacrosse programming across Virginia with an emphasis on developing female athletes to be confident leaders and excellent teammates.
McCann hopes this networking group will benefit current players and cultivate connections between Tar Heels present and past. "We want to build a professional and personal network for all the women of UNC field hockey," McCann said. "The women I have met through this program are some of the most capable leaders I have ever worked with. We want to harness the talents and passions of this group to foster a welcoming and supportive environment that facilitates more women identifying and reaching their goals. In line with what we learned at UNC and from Coach Shelton, we will aim for excellence and prepare accordingly."
The next step is pairing off into one-on-one mentoring relationships, with a Career Symposium – something the Tar Heels do every few years – planned for the spring.
"I'm so grateful that our former players have stayed so invested in our program and are willing to impact our current players this way," Shelton said. "We always say that you're part of the Carolina family forever and that's how we feel – our former players are still part of our program, just in a different way. I'm so proud of them and really excited about this mentoring group and the impact it can have on our student-athletes."
But Shelton was indeed asking her team to look WAY ahead, and offering them some outstanding role models to assist in doing so.
As part of the team's 2021 Alumni Weekend on Sept. 24-26, the Tar Heels held a mentoring workshop, networking with former UNC players as the current student-athletes continue – or begin – planning for life after graduation.
"Their time here is going to go by faster than they realize," Shelton said. "Especially when they're freshmen, it seems like they have all the time in the world before graduation, and then suddenly it's here. The goal of this event, and of our mentoring program, is to be sure our Tar Heels are ready for the next step."
On Sept. 25, about 15 hours after the Tar Heels had wrapped up a 6-1 ACC-opening win over Boston College, the team held a short practice to prepare for the following day's game against UConn, then looked ahead to larger goals. They divided up into groups of current and former Carolina student-athletes to discuss working in a variety of fields including health care, education, law, marketing, sales and business. Within those groups, topics of discussion ranged from interviews and resumes to searching for a job to the best way to frame your student-athlete experience to a prospective employer.
"It was a privilege and a great opportunity for us all to connect with the alumni and learn about their specific experiences in the work field," said senior Meredith Sholder, who plans to attend PA school and participated in the health care discussion. "I truly felt like I had all my questions answered, and it helped me feel more confident and prepared. I am very excited to continue working with the alumni in navigating my future, and I speak for my teammates when I say we are incredibly appreciative that these wonderful ladies are looking out for us."
The groups also discussed the transition from college life to the workforce, and the ways that the work ethic learned as part of the team will carry over. ("Nothing I've faced in my career is as hard as some of our workouts were," one alum shared with a laugh.) And they offered excellent advice to the current team, with a few highlights:
• Stay in touch with your former teammates for a bond that grows stronger over the years.
• Get involved in the UNC alumni network in the city where you live
• Keep a small bit of UNC memorabilia, like a coffee mug, on your desk at work to inspire conversation and sometimes fun rivalries with co-workers who are alums of rival institutions
• Always wear sunscreen ("And when you think you have on enough, put on more.")
Kristen McCann, who played for UNC from 1997-2000, is spearheading plans for the mentoring program. After graduating from Carolina in 2001, she went on to play for the U.S. National Team before attending William & Mary for a graduate degree. She now runs Focus Events, which provides field hockey and lacrosse programming across Virginia with an emphasis on developing female athletes to be confident leaders and excellent teammates.
McCann hopes this networking group will benefit current players and cultivate connections between Tar Heels present and past. "We want to build a professional and personal network for all the women of UNC field hockey," McCann said. "The women I have met through this program are some of the most capable leaders I have ever worked with. We want to harness the talents and passions of this group to foster a welcoming and supportive environment that facilitates more women identifying and reaching their goals. In line with what we learned at UNC and from Coach Shelton, we will aim for excellence and prepare accordingly."
The next step is pairing off into one-on-one mentoring relationships, with a Career Symposium – something the Tar Heels do every few years – planned for the spring.
"I'm so grateful that our former players have stayed so invested in our program and are willing to impact our current players this way," Shelton said. "We always say that you're part of the Carolina family forever and that's how we feel – our former players are still part of our program, just in a different way. I'm so proud of them and really excited about this mentoring group and the impact it can have on our student-athletes."
Players Mentioned
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