Having the chance as a Master’s student to be paired with a mentor who works in their aspiring field is an opportunity that most students could only dream of. Thanks to the Alumni Council Fellows, this is a reality for several students at the Nicholas School.
The Alumni-Student Mentorship Program was piloted during the 2017-2018 academic year in order to create tailored opportunities for students to connect with alumni working in their field. Through this program, students are able to build professional skills, foster new relationships, and connect Nicholas School alums back to Duke. Students who apply to the program are paired with alumni who would best serve the student’s interests, taking into account their current job sector, areas of career and professional development, and location.
Jeff Meltzer MEM’19 shared that he “gained valuable professional experience communicating effectively with both current students and alumni; managing a growing and complex volunteer program; and dividing tasks based on individual strengths. After this successful year of managing the Mentorship Program, [I am] confident that the program will continue to grow and flourish in the future.”
Since the inception of the program, applications for both students and alumni have increased. Next year, the Alumni Council Fellows plan to continue growing the number of participants and target specific sets of alumni where there are unmet student needs.
Are you interested in participating? If so, please contact the Glenda Lee at: gslee@duke.edu.
