The Mentoring Network
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Peer Mentoring vs. Other Mentoring Programs
Peer Mentoring vs. Other Mentoring Programs
Peer Mentoring helps students identify specific goals or needs and directs them toward achieving those goals.
Imagine having a peer with similar career interests to help you stay motivated and then add in the factor that they are making decisions about their career path, too. Well, this is the basis of The Mentoring Network. Our guided peer mentoring platform has both professional and peer mentors that work together. We don't assume what rising professionals want to know, we ask them. Our program includes a mentors-in-residence team that takes on the leadership role of our Peer Advisory Council, "the PAC." The PAC helps guide the conversations and needs of program participants in a confidential and friendly setting that delivers career planning, coaching and professional development insights in a flexible but also structured space.
Program Benefits
Peer Mentors
Peer Mentors
Our program features a tier mentoring platform to help guide undergraduate and graduate students with career advice, professional engagement and goal planning. Our mentors-in-residence (MIRs) are available daily each week and students can go to as many sessions or as little as you like. We only ask that participants meet in-person or virtually with their assigned MIR or mentor at least twice during a semester. Actively engaging is the key component to benefitting from our program.
Our program features a tier mentoring platform to help guide undergraduate and graduate students with career advice, professional engagement and goal planning. Our mentors-in-residence (MIRs) are available daily each week and students can go to as many sessions or as little as you like. We only ask that participants meet in-person or virtually with their assigned MIR or mentor at least twice during a semester. Actively engaging is the key component to benefitting from our program.
Leadership
Leadership
Students who participate in our program begin as mentees and move into mentors after the first year. Mentees receive hands-on experience from the program's mentors-in-residence and on-going leadership workshops. Second year participants become either members of the Peer Advisory Council (the PAC) or EPIC mentors. By third year, participants are eligible for our Mentors-in-Residence program (MIRs). MIRs are expected to commit to at least one year as a MIR and lead the PAC in planning and leading mentorship activities.
Students who participate in our program begin as mentees and move into mentors after the first year. Mentees receive hands-on experience from the program's mentors-in-residence and on-going leadership workshops. Second year participants become either members of the Peer Advisory Council (the PAC) or EPIC mentors. By third year, participants are eligible for our Mentors-in-Residence program (MIRs). MIRs are expected to commit to at least one year as a MIR and lead the PAC in planning and leading mentorship activities.
Professional Development
Professional Development
Our professional development workshops are designed to supplement academic learning and provide practical, hands-on-training in areas such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and career readiness. We also provide tools to help participants develop networking opportunities with both faculty and industry professionals. These interactions facilitate the sharing of experiences and knowledge, enabling students to build network contacts that support their future goals.
Individual Development Plan (IDP)
All participants in our program are required to complete individual development plans. Our how-to training helps students build an IDP based on their strengths, and areas for growth. Participants must update and revise IDPs and resumes each year while in the program. Our workshops and resume sessions with career professionals are available to students while in the program.
Professional Resume Building
Through our career development workshops, seminars, and leadership opportunities we offer valuable resume-building experiences. Today's employer seek real-world experience, leadership, and problem-solving skills, which students can gain by becoming EPIC mentors, peer advisory council members, or Mentors-in-Residence.
Commitment
Commitment
As a student I'm so busy. We hear this all the time and we've been there. Class assignments, part-time jobs, extra-curricular activities and family commitments are often a juggling act, even for the most experienced student. That's why the Mentoring Network offers a mentor to check-in with you from time-to-time. However, we also know that providing a flexible and accessible way to work on career planning anytime is important, too. Maybe you want to attend one of our career development sessions, or join one of our monthly pop-ins. We have many options. Just remember engagement is the key to your success and we've provided you the platform to get it all done.
I'll eventually get around to it. Intentions are good. However, actions get things done. It is so easy to get bogged down with the priorities that school often brings. However, you also want to be accountable for making sure you're on track to achieve your career goals. We ask participants to commit to at least five (5) group mentoring events, work on an Individual Development Plan, and actively spend time working with a MIR or EPIC mentor on the goals that you set in your IDP.
Additional Program Benefits
Additional Program Benefits
Our program helps chart a course to your next steps. Are you considering graduate school? Entering the job market? Our program provides tools and activities that lead you to your next steps. Use our checklist for grad school application planning or finding a job after graduation. Possibly you are unsure what you should be doing at this stage in your journey. Click below to begin answering some of these questions and starting your path to discovering the professional competencies relevant for the job market or the process to apply to graduate school.
Graduate School
Graduate School
Graduate school can be a big step especially while you're an undergraduate and attending classes . That's why we're providing a timeline that guides you through what you'll need to do first and all the steps that are required to pursue this academic goal.
Job Market
Job Market
Are you looking to enter the job market over the next few months? Or, you want to make sure you're developing career readiness skills for your first real job. Using our career readiness checklist will provide you with information that can determine your readiness and test where you may need to focus your skill-building.
Leadership
Our professional staff know navigating the winding, complicated, and uncertain path from undergraduate and graduate school to a career can be completely overwhelming. Offering a student-centered environment, our department's faculty, staff, and students work as partners to create a comfortable place where professional development happens naturally through a variety of events and enrichment activities all designed to navigate future career growth.
Dr. Leah Palm-Forster
Director
Ann Alvarado
Program Manager
Our Mentors-in-Residence
The Mentoring Network features three mentors-in-residence who help decide on activities and the type of career-related information that is important to MN participants. The team also leans into conversations with their peers with personal exchanges through pop-up events, emails, and live chats. Our mentorship program is designed to allow professional development to happen naturally through a variety of enrichment activities while also providing members the opportunity to flex their leadership and mentoring skills.
Carl Nelson-Poteet
Carl Nelson-Poteet
Graduate
cnelsonp@udel.edu
Davidson Nwanou
Davidson Nwanou
Emerging Professionals
dnwanou@udel.edu
Emily Ortiz
Emily Ortiz
Undergraduate
emortiz@udel.edu
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