A mentoring relationship can open many doors, from learning about a particular profession to charting a path to a dream job. It’s rewarding for both professional mentors and student mentees: mentees get access to new perspectives and insight into the day-to-day experience of environmental professionals; mentors enhance their profession’s workforce, pass on what they have learned, and work with energized students bursting with new ideas!
The School of the Environment’s Professional Mentoring Initiative offers different modes of mentoring:
- Entry-Level Engagement: an “informational interview” meeting over coffee to explore career paths, ask questions, and establish connections.
- Short-Term Engagement: two-to-four meetings during the semester to (a) set goals and explore career options, (b) build skills through development of a resumé and advice on professional development activities and training, and (c) field-based experiences such as a job shadow, project discussion, or involvement in other activity.
- Long-Term Engagement: bi-weekly meetings and activities, including a mix of discussions, skill-building exercises, and hands-on experiences (e.g., participating in a service-learning activity together) to provide sustained guidance that fosters professional and personal growth.
Interested in becoming a professional mentor or student mentee? Please use this form to explain your background and interests, and we’ll make the match for a fantastic mentoring relationship!