Student Center for Professional Development
The Student Center for Professional Development (SCPD) has been a valuable part of the College of Business (COB) for many years. SCPD was created in 2008 and was successfully updated in the 2010-2011 academic year to meet the changing needs of students entering the workforce in the second decade of the 21st century.
The purpose of these (mentoring) programs is geared towards helping the College of Business students be as successful as possible during college and after graduation. Studies show that students who had a mentor are more likely to be engaged, volunteer, become a mentor, hold a leadership position, and more.
*SCPD was formerly known as the Mentoring Business Program (MBP).
How to Join SCPD
Once you complete your SCPD Application, you are automatically enrolled into our Business Professional Certificate (BPC) Program.
- BPC is a series of professional development workshops. Students have until they graduate to attend 14 different topic workshops to receive a certificate of completion.
- To RSVP for the workshops, please log-in to SSO and click on the BeachSync icon.
- In the search bar type and click on "CSULB CBA Student Center for Professional Development".
- Click on the "Join" button.
Once you complete the SCPD Application, please note the Passport pick-up from the SCPD Office is on hold until further notice due to COVID-19.
The Student Center for Professional Development (SCPD) is a bridge between a student’s academic life and career. We focus on helping students develop the professional skills and personal attributes most valued by prospective employers.
SCPD offers four distinct programs: the Business Professional Certificate (BPC), Community Scholars (CS), Junior Mentoring Program (JMP), and Corporate Mentoring Program (CMP). Students who participate in any or all of these SCPD programs can keep track of their progress in a personalized Passport booklet (provided by the SCPD office).
All of our programs are free of charge to students, and participation is voluntary. Students who participate in our programs have higher graduation rates, are better prepared for the corporate world and generally make more productive and valuable employees.
The Business Professional Certificate (BPC) program is a series of workshops presented by business professionals. BPC workshops are typically held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 5:00pm-6:00pm, and are only offered in the fall and spring semesters. The calendar is updated each semester with the same topics, so if a student has other obligations, they can complete the workshop the following semester. In order to receive a certificate of completion, students must successfully fulfill the requirements of the program, which is attending 14 different topic workshops by the time they graduate.
The Community Scholars (CS) program involves CSULB students group mentoring inner-city high school students in the spring semester. CS has 1 required training at CSULB, up to 5 mentoring sessions at a students assigned high school, and 1 campus visit at CSULB. CS program is a great opportunity to give back, while simultaneously developing leadership, teamwork, and presentation skills.
The Junior Mentoring Program (JMP) is a one-semester program (fall or spring) where a junior level student is paired with young professionals in a mentoring relationship. Mentors help students prepare for their college careers, sharing their skills, knowledge and advice on how to balance college, work and personal life. Focus is given to resume building and professional development activities that will better prepare the students for the job market and complement their academic learning experience.
The Corporate Mentoring Program (CMP) is an academic year (August-May) program where a senior level student or students in their last academic year are paired with a mid to senior level professional in a mentoring relationship. The mentoring is personalized and focus of the partnership is determined by a mutually agreed upon contract. The goals can vary and often result in tangible achievements in addition to soft skills development in areas such as self-awareness, professionalism and self-confidence.
Please save the date for the upcoming EPN events on:
Thursday, March 16, 2023
Thursday, April 20, 2023
SCPD has two scholarship opportunities that recognize students for outstanding achievement.
- Director's Award: Overall Excellence
- Professional Excellence Award: Professional Development
Winners in these categories receive an award, and are recognized on our website and social media platforms.
Students are responsible throughout the year for engaging in activities that qualify them for each respective scholarship opportunity. Award winners are selected based on an essay that discusses their achievements in a respective category.
