OVERVIEW

The University of Georgia College of Engineering Alumni Mentor Program facilitates the link between current students and alumni.  Sponsored by the College of Engineering, the Program is managed by a steering committee consisting of multiple stakeholders to include: Administration, Student Ambassadors, current students, and alumni.  Mentors and Mentees complete an annual application process to provide information used to best match the two parties.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Program is twofold: to prepare students for successful careers by bridging the gap between academia and the professional world and to strengthen alumni bonds to the College of Engineering.  The purpose of the Program is fulfilled through proactive communication from both parties and allows for an exchange of information on education, professionalism, aspirations, and ideas.

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

Participants will:

1. contact their mentor within 7 days of being matched

2. engage in substantive communication (meeting face-to-face, via phone/electronic means) at least once a month

3. uphold meetings and appointments, or provide advance notification should a meeting need to be canceled.  Respond to questions and communication within a reasonable time frame (preferably 72 hours)

4. meet in public venues, including but not limited to the UGA campus and office environments during normal business hours

5. in the first month in communication, establish professional goals and an accountability system for the time frame of the Mentorship Program (September 2018-May 2019)

6. maintain updated contact information with the College of Engineering Office of Development & Alumni Relations alumni@engr.uga.edu

7. contact the College of Engineering Office of Development & Alumni Relations if experiencing difficulty establishing communication with other party

8. not solicit mentors for an internship or job.  At their own discretion, mentors may make offers of internships or job opportunities, notifying the Office of Development & Alumni Relations immediately of such offers.

9. provide feedback to the steering committee on their experience with the Mentor Program via survey to be administered in May 2019

The College of Engineering will:

1. reserve the right to decide if mentors and/or mentees are not suitable as participants in the Mentor Program and can terminate, remove, or exclude participants at sole discretion

2. make no guarantees or promises regarding the accuracy or quality of any advice imparted to mentees; the College makes no claim as to the quality of any mentee or mentor, his/her suitability to provide academic advice, career coaching, or professional development advice

By selecting "Next", I acknowledge I am in alignment with the PURPOSE and accept the CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION for the College of Engineering Alumni Mentor Program.

When setting goals and appropriate expections at the start of a mentoring relationship, it is critical to establish expectations that can be agreed upon by both parties.  Values & standards that will help to provide the foundation for a strong mentoring relationship include the following:

- Respect: Mutual respect forms the foundation of the successful mentoring relationship.  Learning is greatly enhanced when each person feels a senes of personal and professional respect for one another.

- Accountability: In a mentoring relationship, accountability can only exist where respect exists.  Care through accountability is expressed by sticking to agreed upon expectations, tracking goals, and consistent mentoring activities.

- Focus: Mentoring goals should be focused on the advancement of the College of Engineering community, including current students and alumni, and professional development.  Students are strongly discouraged from entering the Program with the expectation of gaining internships or full-time employment.

- Confidentiality: To maintain the integrity of the relationship, agree to identify information as confidential when sensitive topics are brought up

- Honesty: Agree to be honest at all times.

- Integrity: Alignment in what is said and what is done.

- Individuality: Agree not to ignore or trivialize differences in opinion.  Openly discuss differences to build trust in the relationship.

- Collaboration: Recognize the importance of collaboration.