Suggested Topics for Admin Mentors and Their Mentees

Mentees: Use this list to help you think of questions for your mentor during your mentoring sessions. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of topics that you work your way through during the mentoring year, just a resource of possible topics if you aren't sure what to ask. You don't know what you don't know, and that's okay!

If you come across additional topics you think should be added to this list, please email Eleanor Baker at eafrede2@ncsu.edu

• Getting Started/Organizational Development
  • Daily planning (calendars)
  • Organizing work area
  • Setting up files, using Google Drive
  • Handling (returning) phone calls/e-mails
  • Office staff relationships (with co-workers, supervisor(s), etc.)
  • Guidance and advice with online onboarding (Extension Onboarding Moodle Course)  - new users can self-enroll in the course, will require Unity ID to enter
  • N.C. Cooperative Extension Intranet
• Organizational Structure
  • Organizational charts for the district and county and Extension overall
  • Policies and procedures for the district, county and as a university employee
  • Roles and job descriptions within the district, county and Extension
  • Extension Acronyms and Abbreviations
  • Extension Directory
• Financial Management
  • Budget management
  • Spending procedures
  • Grants/alternative funding
  • State-specific applications and financial procedures
    • Wolfpack Reporting System - will require Unity ID to enter
    • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Business Office
      • Helpful CBO training resources (links to a Moodle page, will require Unity ID to enter. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the Moodle page for County Extension resources)
      • Service Now portal  - will require Unity ID to enter
    • State PCard Manual
• Time Management
  • How to set priorities, boundaries
  • Balancing job and personal life
  • Scheduling meetings
  • Utilizing Google Calendar
  • Managing email
• Public Relations/Marketing
  • Professionalism
  • Branding guidelines (can use the New Employee Communications Toolkit as a great starting place)
  • Developing marketing materials (flyers, articles, press releases, etc.)
  • Relationships with local media
  • Relationships with local leaders (such as county officials)
  • Relationships with volunteers (such as advisory council members)
  • Responding to sensitive situations
  • Conflict resolution
• Professional development 
  • Membership in professional associations
    • District and State: North Carolina Cooperative Extension Administrative Professionals Association (NCCEAPA)
    • National: The Extension and Research Support Staff Association (TERSSA)
  • In-service trainings and educational opportunities through the Extension Learning Management System (XLMS) and Reporter - both links will require Unity ID to enter
• Technology
  • Extension IT resources
    • Computer Contact Information
    • Links to commonly used Applications (such as Zoom, Active Campaign, Eventbrite, etc.)