Lately, I’ve been exploring new ways to give back to my community, and it got me thinking about my time in school. Some of my professors worked part-time, which allowed them to teach night classes and share their real-time experiences with us. Inspired by that, I decided to bring up the idea to one of my former professors, and he recommended I read his book, which dives into this topic.

These are some things I want to remember:

  • You don’t need a PhD to teach so long as you have the necessary experience
  • If you are serious about changing careers to teaching at the college level full-time, consider doing the AACSB Bridge Program
    • The program is less than a week long
  • When teaching, show how much you love what you’re doing, and it’ll spread through the room. Engage the students with stories, questions, and discussions.
  • Ideas on things to try if you want to get your foot in the door:
    • Be a guest lecturer
    • Become a student mentor
    • Judge business plan competitions
    • Participate in mock interviews to help college students
    • Consider writing/collaborating with professors to write a case
    • Fundraise (Ex. Kendra Scott)
    • Join a formal board of alumni and executives to help advise and provide support
    • AACSB credentials
  • Note to self: Revisit the book on ideas for how to keep students engaged

Personally, my goal is to try becoming a guest lecturer at the college where I’m already volunteering to see if it’s something I enjoy.

If you’re considering becoming a professor, whether part-time or full-time, I recommend checking out this book on Amazon—it’s a great resource to get started! ☕🍩

Cheers, Gaby