Mentors will serve as role models and personal career advisers in an informal mentoring relationship. By openly sharing their experiences and what it takes to achieve success, mentors can truly make a difference in a student's life.

MENTORS
Details and Expectations (Return to top)

Nature of the program. The mentoring program is designed to provide ISU students with a role model and personal adviser while increasing the student’s exposure to his or her field of interest. It is not designed to be a job internship or a highly structured program.

The focus of the relationship should be to share experiences. Mentors should use the time with the student to share their life and career successes and challenges, and to learn about the student's experiences. As in other parts of life, honest and sincere communication will foster the most open and successful relationships.

Meeting frequency. Mentors are asked to meet with their students throughout the semester/year. These meetings may include:

• A visit for the student to the mentor’s place of work. This visit could be scheduled to coincide with a university break or summer.
• A meeting on campus at Homecoming, or at another time during the academic year.
• Additional meeting(s) at a place and time mutually agreed upon by the mentor and the student. Recommendations include a visit to coincide with VEISHEA, an advisory board meeting, or any other activity for which the mentor would otherwise be in Ames.

Other contact. Mentors should initiate a monthly contact with their student. Contacts could consist of phone calls, email, or personal letters.

Length of commitment. The Mentor/Student relationship will be a minimum of a one semester commitment, but can continue indefinitely depending on the desires of the mentor and mentee.

Concluding the mentoring relationship early. We understand that some relationships may be incompatible. If that happens, either the mentor or the student should communicate their desires and feel free to discontinue the relationship.

Applying
Complete our application form to show your interest. 

STUDENTS
Getting Started (Return to top)

Welcome to the Alumni Mentor Program, a benefit for students who are members of the Student Alumni Association (SAA). The Mentor Directory allows you to create your own search by professional title, occupation, curriculum, graduation year, business name, and/or geographical location. The database is easy to use, and a great way to network with ISU alumni who have similar career interests to you.

Who is listed in the Alumni Mentor Directory?

• Over 200 alumni have volunteered to serve as mentors.
• Addresses are updated weekly, but are only as current as the most recent information provided to us by the mentor.
• Alumni who are listed in the directory have agreed to participate in the program.

As a student, why would I want a Mentor?

• To be better prepared for your career by learning about the realities of a professional career from alumni who will share what it takes for success
• To gain advise about your interest area, including valuable classes to take and career related experiences to pursue.
• To learn the importance of working and communicating with others, and balancing careers and personal lives.

When making contacts, remember to:

• Clearly identify yourself.
• Tell the alum that you received his/her name from the Iowa State University Alumni Mentor Program database.
• If contact is by phone, ask if this is a good time to talk.
• Determine in advance if you are calling to:
  • Interview the person to determine if you would be interested in asking this person to be your mentor.
  • Ask the alum to be your mentor.
• Confirm your address and telephone number with the alum if you both wish further contact.

Remember the following:

• Conduct all interactions in a professional manner
• Refrain from asking for employment or about any current or anticipated job openings
• Respect privacy and time constraints of the mentor and his/her employer
• Present a positive representation of yourself and Iowa State University
• Let your mentor know if you decide to stop correspondence with them
• Alumni are asked to make a minimum commitment of one semester and we ask that you do the same

Take advantage of this opportunity to have an alumni mentor. It’s a lifetime investment!

If you have any questions, contact Shellie Henry at shenry@alumni.iastate.edu.