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Alumni-Student Mentoring Program

The Social Work Alumni Association (SWAA) Alumni-Student Mentoring Program matches current College of Social Work students with alumni to promote purposeful one-on-one relationships between members of these populations.

Mentors (College of Social Work alumni) and mentees (current students) will interact during the program to discuss a variety of topics and participate in activities intended help the mentee work toward their academic and career goals.

Mentors and mentees are paired from January 2025 to May 2025. Mentors and mentees should develop a working relationship and must interact often enough to complete all program milestones, which include meeting once per month at a minimum. In order for the college to ensure mentor/mentee matches are progressing appropriately, achievement of program milestones must be logged via Wildcat Network.

Although mentors and mentees may utilize any appropriate communication mechanism (e.g., Wildcat Network message, email, phone call, text message) and meeting modality (e.g., in-person, Zoom, phone call), shared expectations regarding communication and meetings must be agreed upon during the first meeting and formally documented via the Mentor/Mentee Agreement Form.

If desired, mentors and mentees are welcome to stay in contact after the program is officially over.

Who Should Participate?

You should consider applying to be an alumni mentor if:

  • You are an alumnus of the UK College of Social Work and would like to be more connected to the college.
  • You want to make a difference in a student’s life and are willing to interact with your student mentee often enough for completion of all program milestones (which include meeting once per month at a minimum) and to provide networking and other opportunities as appropriate.

You should consider applying to be a student mentee if:

  • You are a current student in the UK College of Social Work.
  • You want to learn more about your future career, and have the support of a mentor in working toward your future professional goals.
  • You are willing to interact with your alumni mentor often enough for completion of all program milestones (which include meeting once per month at a minimum).

Applications for Spring 2025 have closed and will not re-open. Please stay tuned for future opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Mentoring pairs must commit to a five-month mentoring relationship, from January 2025 to May 2025.
  • Alumni mentors and student mentees should develop a working relationship and must interact often enough to complete all program milestones, which include meeting once per month at a minimum. Mentors and mentees may have more contact if agreed upon by the pair. Mentees must log completion of program milestones via Wildcat Network. Pairs will agree upon shared expectations regarding communication and meetings via the Mentor/Mentee Agreement Form.
  • More specific information regarding program milestones will be provided to mentors and mentees via a program handbook. Each month, pairs who complete all milestones due during that month will be entered to win College of Social Work swag!
  • In addition to the above-mentioned regular interactions between mentors and mentees, upon conclusion of the program, all participants should complete a post-program survey, responses to which will be taken into consideration for future program planning.

Have a question not listed here? Want to talk with someone about the program?

Contact Seth Bailey, Assistant Director of Strategic Operations.

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