Are you a Schar School alumni looking for ways to give back to recent alumni? Or a recent graduate or current Schar School student looking to grow professionally or launch your career? Consider joining the Schar School Alumni Mentoring Program as a mentor or mentee.
The Mentoring Program is designed to bring together alumni, recent graduates and current students in purposeful and rewarding relationships to help bridge the gap between the classroom and the professional world. It’s also a great way to engage during these extraordinary times.
Established alumni will be paired with recent graduates or current students to help them build or launch a successful professional career. Aside from personal advising, the program offers networking opportunities to enable participants to further connect with the Schar School alumni community. Mentors meet regularly with their mentees either in-person or virtually, and cover a range of professional development topics from women in the workplace to leadership development, networking skills, and more.
If you’re looking for a meaningful experience serving as either a mentor or mentee, please complete one or both of these forms by Monday, October 17:
I am interested in being a mentor.
I am interested in being a mentee.
STEPS TO BECOMING A MENTOR/MENTEE
- Review the rules below to be a participant.
- Complete the mentor or mentee survey (above).
- If you are paired with someone, a Mentoring Program Coordinator will reach out to advise of your new mentor/mentee.
- Attend the virtual Schar Mentoring Program Orientation on Tuesday, November 1, 7:00 - 7:45pm.
- Begin your mentoring relationship.
QUALIFICATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR BEING A MENTEE
Open to all Schar alumni within 3 years of graduation or current Schar Graduate or Undergraduate students
- Volunteer Commitment: One year, with monthly (suggested frequency) communication with mentor (Virtual or in person). Non-Local participants can meet virtually.
- Mentees should be prepared when they attend their meetings to be respectful of their mentor’s time. All mentors are volunteers, please be mindful of their time.
- Prepare for meetings.
- Bring your resume and other relevant documents.
- Have a topic prepared that you would like to discuss.
- Be prompt and on-time.
- If applicable, provide your mentor read-ahead materials before meetings.
- Continuously show progress as to how you have applied what you learned.
- Attend the Mentoring Orientation on November 1, 2022 and other networking events with your mentor.
- Provide feedback to the Schar School. If there are any concerns or issues between you and your mentor, please reach out to the Program Coordinator as soon as possible. The Schar School will also issue a mid-year survey and/or brief check-in call throughout the year requesting your feedback.
Program note: The goal of this relationship is not to gain employment through your mentor or their connections. While we understand many participants may be actively seeking employment or other career opportunities during the course of the program, the mentor serves to help provide general professional advice and guidance, not to actively help a mentee secure employment.
QUALIFICATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR BEING A MENTOR
Open to all current Schar Alumni who have 3+ years of experience in the professional field they want to mentor in.
- Volunteer Commitment: One year, with monthly (suggested frequency) communication with mentee. Non-Local participants can meet virtually.
- Provide regular, ongoing professional assistance with resumes, identifying career opportunities, and career counseling.
- Attend Mentoring Orientation on November 1, 2022 and other networking events with your mentee.
- Provide feedback to the Schar School. If there are any issues or concerns between you and your mentor, please reach out to the Program Coordinator as soon as possible. The Schar School will also issue a mid-year survey and/or brief check-in call throughout the year requesting your feedback.
MENTORING PROGRAM TIPS:
- Use the matching form to your advantage
- Please detail the type of mentor/mentee you are looking for. What type of experience do you want them to have? What can you specifically offer?
- Establish goals for the relationship
- Discuss and agree upon the goals of the relationship from the outset.
- Establish communication methods and frequency of contact
- Will you meet virtually, in-person or both?
- How often will you meet? It can be helpful to agree on a schedule and select placeholder dates from the outset.
Thank you for your interest! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Mentoring Program Coordinators with any questions.
Paul Goodfellow '17 MPA
paul.goodfellow.8.1986@gmail.com
Ashley Raphael '17 MPA
araphae4@gmail.com