Going to college isn’t an automatic ticket to a stronger network, writes Julia Freeland Fisher, author of “Who You Know.” Institutions have to design for it.
Excerpts from the article:
“Last month, a new study by Harvard economist Raj Chetty and his colleagues found that economic connectedness—connections between lower- and higher-income individuals—is a key driver of economic mobility…The study confirms what social capital theory has long illustrated: relationships contain resources. Put differently, opportunity is not just a function of skills and education, but also increasingly depends on social connection. A well-resourced network can open doors.”
“Some companies are trying to help colleges put these connections to work. Technology platforms like Nearpeer and Mentor Collective, for example, help colleges organize peer mentors on campus and as well as pairing students with recent alumni who can help them navigate everything from choosing a major to pursuing an internship…These relationships reflect the give and take that makes a network effective. And they aren’t merely instrumental. Independent research by the nonprofit College Innovation Network of Nearpeer concluded that students not only met up, but 41% actually made at least one new friend “in real life” because of Nearpeer.”