IRMA Alumni Mentorship Program
Welcome to the IRMA Alumni-Student Mentor Program!
Inspire and be inspired through IRMA"s Student-Alumni Mentorship program. You"ll have the opportunity to network, interact, exchange ideas, and share experiences while building skills for success. The mentor/mentee relationship develops according to the individual needs of both mentor and student.
Through mentorship, students have the opportunity to engage in meaningful career and personal growth exploration with experienced and knowledgeable IRMA alumni. At the same time, alumni can gain invaluable leadership skills and give back meaningfully to their alma mater by helping today"s generation of students reach their personal and professional goals.
What it's not
The Alumni Student Mentor Program is not designed to be a summer job or career placement service, and students are strongly urged not to ask mentors for positions.
Guidelines for Alumni Mentors
We"re looking for alumni with vision, creativity, energy and time to share their advice and knowledge with current upper year students. If you have two years of working experience in your chosen profession and are willing to offer support and tips for success, we"d love to hear from you. As a mentor, you"ll have the unique opportunity to:
- Encourage a student to explore all of their options by sharing information about professional opportunities and helping to develop their networking, interviewing and job search skills.
- Inspire the leaders of tomorrow to discover their talents and abilities and equip them with the confidence they need to achieve their goals.
- Enhance your professional knowledge by acquiring sophisticated leadership and coaching skills.
- Exchange ideas and perspectives on current issues and trends while benefitting from the latest academic information in your field.
What is a Mentor?
A Role Model who:
- Provides an example to emulate
- Expands the student"s perspective on life
A Motivator who:
- Helps the student acquire information and skills that will prove integral for success at IRMA and beyond
- Participates with the student in learning new things
- Encourages the student to try new things
A Supporter who:
- Helps build the student"s self-esteem
- Conveys a sincere personal interest in the well-being of the student
- Listens to the student"s ideas and concerns
- Expresses belief and confidence in the student"s abilities
A Resource who:
- Introduces the student to new people, places, interests and ideas
A Challenger who:
- Encourages the student to set goals and develop a plan of action to reach them
- Challenges the student to succeed and try things on his or her own
- Encourages the student to engage in increasingly complex activities
What a Mentor is NOT
- A coach or personal trainer
- A tutor or proofreader
- A supervisor
- A parent or disciplinarian
- A counselor or therapist
- A -"reference book"
Time commitment
We know how busy our alumni are, and we do not want your participation in this program to hinder your day-to-day routine or conflict with your other commitments. Therefore, we have made this program as adaptable and user-friendly as possible. The amount of time you commit is entirely up to you. The important thing is to work with your student to decide on a plan that you can both commit to - this may be a monthly e-mail or phone call, or an in-person meeting once in a while(if possible).
Keep in mind that alumni do NOT need to live in close proximity to IRMA or to their student in order to participate in the program - a mentoring relationship built solely on e-mail, phone calls, letters, etc. can be just as effective as mentoring a student in person. We try to match mentors and students whose hometowns are nearby to foster opportunities to meet in person but this is not always possible.
Get involved
Share your expertise and become a part of our exciting program. You bring a wealth of knowledge and information that can positively impact students" choices about their career and personal paths. You"ll make a profound difference on the life of a student.
Step One
Complete the online registration form. The URL will be provided to you by e-mail.
Step Two
Once successfully matched with a mentee, you"ll be sent an e-invitation. This is an opportunity for mentors to network and introduce matched mentors and mentees.
Step Three
Intreact with your mentee as per your mutually agreed to schedule. Below are some suggested topics to discuss at your initial meeting:
- Share your common and individual goals with respect to the mentorship relationship;
- Establish your Intreaction schedule and mode of communication;
- Outline the major areas that interest you (i.e. career opportunities, networking, professional activities and personal goals).
Step Four
Provide us with your feedback. As a Mentorship program participant, your input is valuable. You"ll receive two short electronic evaluation forms that we ask you to complete. Your observations will help us to strengthen and improve the program.
Academic Support and Personal Development
- Helping to choose courses that will assist the student in meeting career goals
- Assistance with learning effective problem-solving skills
- Assistance with identifying his or her strengths and areas of improvement
- Encouragement with goal setting and achievement of those goals
Career Development
- Advising on career options
- Discussing particular fields of interest
- Sharing experiences of working in a particular field
- Guiding and supporting through the process of:
- Selecting specific employers to work for
- Developing resumes and cover letters
- Preparing for interviews
- Introducing your student to a variety of information and resources to assist him or her in preparing for specific careers/jobs
Guidelines for Mentees
Benefit from the advice and guidance of our successful and diverse alumni. As a mentee, you will:
- Gain insight and direction on how to pursue your chosen career path.
- Engage in personal and professional discovery with someone who is supportive and has been in your shoes.
- Network with seasoned professionals and develop relationships that will benefit you long after you graduate.
All registered second year PRM participants and FPRM participants are eligible and encouraged to apply. To become part of our program, follow these steps:
Step One
Complete the online registration form. The URL will be provided to you via e-mail.
Step Two
If you are successfully matched with a mentor, you"ll be sent an e-invitation. This is an opportunity to meet your mentor.
Step Three
Interact/Meet with your mentor as per your mutually agreed to schedule. You"ll gain professional insight on things such as job search strategies, how to write an effective resumé, as well as hone your communications and networking skills. You"ll also benefit from personal discovery and get the confidence you need to make empowering and effective decisions for life.
Step Four
Provide us with your feedback. As a Mentorship program participant, your input is valuable. You"ll receive two short electronic evaluation forms that we ask you to complete. Your observations will help us to strengthen and improve the program.
The Matching Process
The matching process is designed so that students select their own mentor based on the profiles that potential mentors have completed. Students are the best judges of their preferences and needs. In addition, students can feel more responsible for their relationship with their mentor and more involved with the program.
Alumni mentors complete an Alumni Mentor Registration Form, which asks for information intended to familiarize students with the academic, career, and personal interests of that alum. Students review those profiles, and select three possible choices for their mentor. Final allocation would be done by the Core members of PRM 29 involved in rolling out this program. As much as possible, matches will be made based on similar career field, major, hometown, hobbies and interests. Please note that we cannot guarantee an exact match in any one particular area.
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