University of Phoenix collaboration with American Corporate Partners awareness campaign manifests growth in student veterans gaining mentors
By Sharla Hooper
Student veterans can benefit from unique and personalized mentored experience in growing mentor program
University of Phoenix is proud to highlight growth of a student veteran mentor program available through the national nonprofit American Corporate Partners (ACP) that provides post 9/11 service members and student veterans with a unique and personalized mentoring experience. Over the last year, the University and ACP collaborated on a focused awareness campaign about the program, leading to a 39% increase in University of Phoenix student veterans pairing up in ACP mentorships.
Veterans and active duty military members often encounter unique challenges when transitioning to civilian workforce and seeking employment or career pathways. A University of Phoenix survey of veterans and active duty members found that while most (83%) say the military has provided them with all of the skills that they need to be successful in the workplace, a similar proportion (87%) feel making a successful transition from the military means learning a new set of skills to adapt to civilian workforce culture.
University of Phoenix and ACP have collaborated to help address this challenge and ease the transition from the military service to the civilian workforce by facilitating access to the ACP mentoring program for post 9/11 service member and student veterans at the University.
In the last year, 100 student veterans at University of Phoenix were paired with mentors through the ACP program.
“We have an opportunity through the ACP mentorship program to help student veterans who face a number of unique challenges after transitioning from military service,” states Eric Ryan, Marine Corps veteran and senior director of Military Operations at University of Phoenix. “We celebrate the growth in the mentorship program this year and are actively fostering its continued growth among our student veterans.”
ACP provides transitioning veterans and active duty military spouses a full year, one-to-one, customized, national corporate career counseling to help them explore career paths toward meaningful employment. Student veterans in the program, called Protégés, are paired with a mentor from one of ACP’s more than 115 partner corporations, organizations or institutions. Mentors provide Protégés with career guidance and support in the civilian workforce.
“The University of Phoenix and their Military and Veteran Affairs team has been a great partner and has by far engaged more veterans and had more ACP Alumni than any other institution we’ve worked with to date,” states Colleen Deere, ACP Vice Chair of the Board. “ACP is a one-of-a kind organization with a proven track record of connecting veterans with meaningful career development opportunities, and we are pleased to see the growth in student veterans applying and participating in mentorships at University of Phoenix – this directly impacts into their success in transitioning and succeeding in their civilian careers.”
Emmanuel Onokwai, MBA, a veteran who transitioned from the Army as an E-5, Sergeant, completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Phoenix while serving. Onokwai enrolled in the ACP mentorship program in December 2020 and was matched with his mentor at MUFG. During the program, he met with his mentor on a regular basis to discuss and strategize on networking, job search, and interviewing. He began his current position as a Financial Analyst with Verizon Communications Inc. in August 2021.
“ACP helped advance my professional development by connecting me to a highly skilled and experienced professional in my field. In addition, ACP provided tailored resources and guidance for my mentorship sessions with my mentor, which helped us to focus on what was more important to my professional development,” Onokwai shares. “University of Phoenix students, please take every session seriously and use every resource from ACP to navigate your professional development and focus your mentorship sessions on the topics outlined in the resources/guide from ACP.”
According to ACP, 1,967 veteran Protégés obtained employment with their ACP mentor's assistance in 2020. And of those who obtained employment during their mentorship, 86% remained in that job for at least one year, and their average starting salary was $86,000. Further, 98% of ACP’s veteran Protégés would recommend the program to a fellow veteran.
Learn more about the ACP mentorship program here.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life® help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.
About American Corporate Partners (ACP)
American Corporate Partners (acp-usa.org) is a New York City-based national nonprofit organization founded by Sidney E. Goodfriend that aims to ease veterans' transition from the military to the civilian workforce through two free programs: a nationwide mentoring program with more than 115 corporate partners and an online network, ACP AdvisorNet, offering career, employment and small business advice through a robust business community and Q&A platform. ACP is the only nonprofit organization engaged in national corporate career counseling with more than 115 of America’s finest companies for our returning veterans and active duty military spouses. More than 25,000 veterans have become alumni of ACP’s programs.
