Fordham University’s Mentoring Program aims to support students by providing opportunities to connect with alumni. The program has existed for two decades and is hosted by the web-based platform, The Fordham Mentoring Program Network. In addition to the formal program, the online platform hosts other resources like a directory that aims to connect students with alumni.
The mentorship program matches undergraduate junior and senior students with an alumni mentor based on common interests and professional profiles. The students and mentors that participate have a variety of majors and professional goals from business to science. However, in some years it was more difficult than others to find mentors in certain sectors. Typically, the largest percentage of mentors and mentees are found in business-related sectors, but there are not as many in an industry like film or art. Although applying doesn’t always guarantee a match for the student, the administrators of the program in the Office of Alumni Relations try to encourage the participation of mentors in more niche industries or career fields.
“We still try to find someone that’s going to be able to help the mentee in some capacity even if it’s in a different field,” said program administrator Jesse Tompkins. “It’s still a valuable experience where they will learn what it’s like to exit college and enter the workforce.”
Tompkins said that they “are actively searching the databases, looking for alumni in those fields, and recruiting through as many avenues as possible.” He also said he predicts a successful year for the program because they have a diverse selection of mentors this year in different fields.
The goal of the Fordham Mentoring Program is to provide motivated undergraduate students a role model that can guide them in making career-related decisions and help them set goals for their remaining time at Fordham and for after graduation, explained the administrators of the program. This program can be an introduction to long-term relationship building and networking, and it can serve as an opportunity for students to explore certain career paths or fields of interest. Mentees may also polish their resumes ,LinkedIn profiles and interview skills. However, the administrators of the program stressed that this is not a way to get immediate job placement and that students should not ask their mentors for job or internship opportunities. This program is designed to be a learning opportunity for mentees. And for mentors, it’s a chance to positively impact a student’s future by imparting valuable industry knowledge.
Regarding its purpose, the Alumni Relations Specialist for the program, Jerry Goldstein, stated, “For alumni, it’s a way to give back, stay connected with alma mater, and make a difference in a younger Fordham graduate’s life. For students, the program can give insight into career paths, entering the workforce, and networking. For some it can build confidence, and for others it can help with navigating the uncertain as they embark on their journey into the workforce.”
“There are more than 200,000 living Fordham alumni, and the Fordham Mentoring Program is one of the best ways for students to tap into this network,” said the former program manager Mathew Burns. “The platform enabled us to triple the number of students with access to alumni mentorship.”
The programming throughout the year will consist of opening and closing banquets, hybrid career development workshops and one-on-one meetings between the mentors and mentees. The terms of communication and the frequency in which the mentors meet with the students are determined by a mentor and mentee agreement talked about at the beginning of the program. Administrators said they recommend that pairs attend two milestone events and two additional events of their choice based on a provided list, and there will be regular check-in surveys that would need to be completed. Some of the hybrid workshops students may look forward to include a LinkedIn Workshop, Job Hunting with AI, ChatGPT, Speed Networking and Skill Building. If the student’s mentor and place of employment allows it, the student may even be able to shadow their mentor and see first hand how the day-to-day work experience looks like.
“We make sure the mentees and mentors are committed to the process and we go through various factors that can include geography, hobbies and interests, and of course career goals,” said Goldstein.
The main expectation for students who apply to be a mentee is that they can demonstrate that they are motivated, proactive and exhibit the utmost professionalism at all times in recognition of the time their mentors are volunteering. Students must be willing to learn and develop their skills and motivated to form future career goals, and students are required to complete a training course on professionalism before they may receive a mentor.
“The student can take as little or as much from the program as they put in,” emphasized Goldstein.
The program has created success stories as shown by the mentors that return every year excited to help guide more Fordham students because of their great experiences in the past, said Tompkins.
“This year we are introducing a newsletter where we will collect stories of success from mentees and mentors and send those out, and then we have an end-of -year survey each year that asks about the students’ experiences in the program that we will share with the rest of our university community,” Tompkins said.
Although the formal program provides students with lots of benefits, the program administrators advise students who can’t commit to the full-year program to still create a profile on their online platform and participate in flash mentoring. It’s still a way to form connections and get questions answered by a professional.
“An algorithm looks for similarities between your profile and those of alumni,” explained Burns. “You then get recommended alumni matches for one-off connections and conversations.”
“Students who apply should try and really envision themselves as alumni one day because the current mentors were once students at Fordham University too and are still a part of our community and giving back to our university,” Tompkins said.
The program applications for the 2023-2024 academic year opened on Aug. 1 online, and the deadline is Sept. 28. Participants will receive notification of their pairings along with more information by Oct. 1.
