ABOUT THE WEBINAR

What early indicators predict student career success, and how can mentorship help students build them? 

In this thought leadership session, we’ll explore the critical markers of workforce readiness, including career self-efficacy, proactive career exploration, and the vital role of belonging and social capital. Drawing on foundational and cutting-edge research, including Dr. James Winfield's insights into student career development, we'll demonstrate how intentional mentorship programs build these essential indicators. Join us to equip your institution with the insights and tools to bridge the gap between degree and career for every student.

In this webinar, you'll learn:
✅ The top early indicators of workforce readiness—and why they matter now more than ever

✅ How mentorship helps students build career confidence, take action, and feel a sense of belonging

✅ The critical role of mentoring in helping students bridge the gap from college to career

✅ Real stories and data from mentorship programs that are driving measurable impact at institutions like Southern New Hampshire University, Community College of Rhode Island, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

✅ Practical strategies your team can implement to strengthen career development across your campus

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Erin Mayhood
CEO
Mentor Collective

Erin Mayhood is a mission-driven leader with 20+ years in higher education and edtech, dedicated to expanding student access to career pathways. As CEO of Mentor Collective, she works to ensure all learners have the support, guidance, and networks needed to thrive in both education and the workforce.

Through her leadership, Mentor Collective partners with higher education institutions and industry leaders to bridge the gap between learning and career success, leveraging mentorship as a solution for belonging, retention, and economic mobility.

A veteran edtech executive and former higher ed administrator, Erin previously held leadership roles at Interfolio by Elsevier, where she launched the company’s first B2B Enterprise solution and helped define the Faculty Information System category in the US and UK.

Passionate about education innovation, Erin focuses on scalable, data-informed solutions that connect learning with workforce readiness, ensuring students gain the social capital, durable skills, and access to opportunity needed to thrive in an evolving job market.

Dr. James Winfield
Associate Dean for FYE, General Education & Retention Strategies, Southern New Hampshire University

James K. Winfield, Ed.D. (he/him/his), is the associate dean for first-year experience, general education, and retention strategies at Southern New Hampshire University’s Global Campus. In addition, he serves as an adjunct faculty member for higher education leadership at Messiah University. Dr. Winfield is a proud first-generation college student and graduate with extensive experience in first-year programs, specifically facilitating first-year seminars, orientation, teaching, designing curriculum, and leading faculty development. His dissertation and research interests are focused on the career self-efficacy and academic major decisions of limited-income first-generation college students.


Dr. Winfield has a B.A. in mass communication and an M.Ed. in higher education administration from Auburn University. He holds an Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of South Carolina. He is also a founding member and past co-chair of the Black First-Gen Collective. He is active in professional organizations and centers such as NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, FirstGen Forward, and the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.