Alumni Mentoring
Develop
Serve
Connect
Calling all alumni, share your time and talent with our undergraduate students. Make connections across various industries, interests, and majors. Support the development of meaningful long-term connections between multiple generations of Hokies. Help to inspire the future workforce through individual or group career exploration and networking.
To become a mentor, please sign-up by clicking on the maroon button. Your profile will be created and you will receive an email from vt.peoplegrove.com.
Hokie Mentorship Connect is an online platform that can unite Virginia Tech undergraduate students with alumni for career-related support. The program exists to promote fellowship and networking for career development purposes. As a result, multiple generations of Hokies can form open lines of communication and establish meaningful long-term relationships.
For Mentee :
- Obtain inside information from a professional about a career field, industry or a specific company
- Opportunity to ask questions and gain insight regarding how to look and market themselves better for a job or internship
- Professional skills development and networking opportunities
- Access to a professional network that will assist them with becoming better prepared to enter the workforce
For Mentor:
- Enhancement of coaching, mentoring, leadership and management skills
- A lasting and increased career network
- Exposed to diversity of thought, style, personality and culture
- Ability to share valuable professional experiences and information
- Feedback loop to students and programs regarding curriculum needs
There are three ways to participate on the platform:
- Structured Mentorship - a six month commitment allowing mentors and mentees to build a relationship focused on collaboratively working on the completion of specific career related goals to enhance the career exploration process and/or professional development of the student.
- Flash Mentorship - provides opportunities to network, have informal interviews and pick the brains of industry experts at any time with no set limit
- Discussion Board Groups - are formed career/industry focused discussion boards. Group members are able to ask questions, view comments, and actively engage with other users based on similar affiliation or career related interests.
There are also multiple resources available on the platform includingarticles, handouts, flyers, and videos can be accessed on a variety of topics such as mentorship, campus services, upcoming events, and career and professional development.
There are three ways to participate in Hokie Mentorship Connect: structured program, flash mentorship, and/or discussion boards.
Time commitments vary based on how you choose to participate.
- Structured Program - required a six month commitment, agreeing to at least two communications per month for at least 1 hour each
- Flash Mentorship & Discussion Boards- more flexible options, puts you in control of how many times you wish to interact and for how long with no structured commitments
We ask that you be yourself. You can choose to discuss your your experiences and career journey. Help students to identify their interest and define their own goals. Serve as a resource for your mentees by answering their questions. Be sure you are making the effort to communicate regularly and stay committed to the connections you are forming.
The platform makes connection recommendations to the student based on mentor profiles. A mentee will be able to view the profiles of mentors that have opted in to participate and have the ability to directly reach out to request a mentorship relationship. The program is mentee driven so the mentee must make the initial contact.
Some of the match fields include:
- Fields of Career Experience
- Special Interest Group (First Gen, Corps of Cadets, Veteran, etc.)
- Academic Major
- Academic Minor
- Extracurricular Activities
- Professional Memberships
Both parties must be prepared to engage in a professional relationship, one in which they are willing to listen, learn and take initiative Mentors will have the ability to select how many mentees they would like to mentor at any given time
No. The system allows you to determine how many communications you want to receive from students. You can also determine how many mentees you are willing to accept. You choose what program components that you want to participate in (i.e. structured mentoring, flash mentoring, discussion boards). No matter your time limitations, we have a way for you to participate in the program.
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