Bronco Mentorship Excellence Program

Mentors serve as guides that can provide wisdom about real world experience, industry and career paths. In order to be a successful mentee, it is important to determine what you are looking for in a mentor and what questions would help accelerate your professional journey.

• Be Proactive: Don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni that work in companies or industries of interest. The relationship will be most successful if you reach out consistently and respectfully in scheduling time with your mentor. The more you know before entering your first job, the better chance that you will pick a career that fits your goals and life-long ambitions.
• Set Expectations: Be clear about your goals during your first interaction with a mentor. Be prepared to ask for specific guidance and advice on your goals, plans and strategic ideas. The more specific you can be, the easier it will be for your mentor to help you. Identify how you see your role as a mentee and what guidance you are looking for in the mentoring relationship. Determine the mode of communication you will use and how frequently you both are available to meet.
• Build Relationships: Remember that the primary goal of this mentoring network is to have access to professionals that are willing to share their wisdom and build relationships. Although career opportunities may develop based on interactions with the network, it is not appropriate to connect with an alumnus solely to ask them for a job.
• Be Timely: Respond to e-mails and communication in a timely manner. Be courteous, polite and professional. Keep up with your e-mails and ask questions.
• Be Honest: Let your mentor know if you don’t understand something or have additional questions.
• Ask for Feedback: Leverage your mentor’s knowledge by asking feedback on resumes, interview answers, and career choices. Remember that your mentor is providing feedback rather than criticism.
• Be Grateful: Appreciate the work your mentor is doing. Remember that they are generously volunteering to help you, and other students succeed in their professional journeys and never take that for granted.

• Willingness to invest time and energy in their mentoring relationship.
• A belief that mentoring is a mutually enhancing professional activity and benefits the development of both the mentor and mentee.
• Confidence in their own wisdom and abilities.
• A desire to pass along information and wisdom to students and fellow alumni who may need career, industry and professional guidance.
• Feel comfortable working one-on-one.

• Building a mentoring relationship is very personalized and requires both mentor and mentee to set goals and boundaries. During the first meeting, both parties should agree on the frequency, duration and mode of communication preferred between mentor/mentee. An expectation of 30 minutes to 2 hours per month and generally for a minimum of one semester. Mentoring relationships potentially develop into lifelong connections with sustaining impact.
• Mentors should respond to mentee consistently and within a specified timeframe in order to ensure that open lines of communication are available.
• Build trust with your mentee by being open and honest. Accept and value one another’s differences. Engage regularly to further develop your relationship.
• Provide suggestions and be a sounding board for the mentee’s career goals and development.