Alumni-Student Mentor Program
There’s no better way to reconnect with Clayton State University and its students than by becoming a mentor. The knowledge and skills you have gained through your career are valuable to share with students who want to get a real sense of how they can be a competitive player in the job market. You can also network with other alumni and offer professional expertise to help support the dreams of our students.
How You Can Mentor
There are a number of ways you can offer mentoring assistance to students and fellow alumni.
You can offer individual mentoring help:
- Resume and cover letter reviews
- Informational or mock interviews
- Email networking/advice
- Job shadows
- Graduate school advice
You can connect with students and alumni in a group setting:
- Networking events
- LinkedIn group
You can be a resource:
- Write a guest blog post or career-related article
- Serve on a panel, present in a class, or speak at an event
- Be a professional in residence on a career/professional topic
- Share your career experience
Frequently Asked Questions
You can play a big role in your alumni association—from assisting with events or serving on committees to connecting with current students, or ultimately serving on the Board in a leadership capacity.
A: Clayton State University's Alumni-Student Mentorship Program offers numerous options for getting involved as a mentor, so the time commitment depends on the ways mentors choose to be involved. Mentors can participate in as many of these programs as they want.
A: Mentors participate on a case by case basis based on personal preferences and the needs of the particular event or activity.
A: Mentors may give mentees an inside look at career options and professional paths available in their fields of interest. Mentors may also share expertise about certain life skills such as budgeting, choosing the right insurance, purchasing a home, etc. Mentors coach mentees on skills to improve their success and ask questions to prompt mentees' self-exploration. Mentors encourage (and occasionally facilitate) mentees to network with other professionals and offer suggestions on how mentees might expand their professional networks.
A: Mentees must partake in a brief mentee orientation/appointment in order to participate in any of the structured programs. These orientations/appointments focus on setting expectations, selecting mentors who are a good fit for them, and reinforcing standards for networking and professionalism.
A: Mentors can possess any level of professional experience - there is no minimum level of experience. Mentees may have questions that would be best answered by a recent graduate or by a seasoned professional. The beauty of this program is the breadth of opportunities.
A: Mentors may be asked to participate in a panel, write a guest blog article, answer a single question posted by a student online, get interviewed about their career path, provide an informational interview about their company or industry, lead a webinar about a particular area of expertise, host a networking event or anything in between. This program truly is flexible and allows for almost anyone to contribute based on their interests, background, expertise and time availability.
A: Participation in the Clayton State University Alumni-Student Mentorship Program involves no promise or expectation of future employment. These programs are designed to promote professional networking and resource sharing. Occasionally professional opportunities may arise as mentor/mentee relationships evolve, but the ability to offer such opportunities is not a prerequisite for participation.
A: Complete the mentor profile .