Posted September 21, 2016
What do you wish you’d learned before graduating college and entering the workforce? Networking advice? Tips for getting your foot in the door? The secret to a great resume?
Each fall, the College of Information and Communications strives to provide students with this knowledge through the launch of its year-long program, Mentor Match. Mentor Match pairs students in the School of Library and Information Science and the School of Journalism and Mass Communications with alumni who work in their area of interest. For students, it’s an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of their future industries. And for alumni, it’s a chance a chance to give back to the college.
Mentor Match kicks off with a “speed dating” style matching event each September. This year’s event, held on September 13, was reimagined as rotating roundtable discussions, allowing students and mentors to engage in deeper conversations. The new format was a big hit with participants. Many, including senior broadcast journalism major Parker King, are excited to see what kind of impact the program will have on their futures.
"Mentor Match was such a great opportunity to meet and hear advice from professionals in the industry, especially with graduation drawing closer,” King said. “My hope is to build a professional relationship with my mentor that is beneficial to both sides, and after attending the meeting, this seems very possible."
More than 60 students attended match night, and nearly 90 signed up in total, making this the largest year on record. Event organizer Rebekah Friedman, the college’s alumni relations coordinator, says finding the perfect match for students is one of the most rewarding parts of her job.
“Our two schools have an exceptionally talented pool of alumni,” Friedman said. “Mentor Match is a way to channel their collective experience and expertise into something that students can learn from.”