The Mentor Program was created to continue engaging alumni in the AMIGOS mission. This program develops the leadership skills of young adults as they transition to young professionals. It is an opportunity to establish a connection with alumni in their professional field of interest.

The program pairs recent Project Staff Alumni with more experienced AMIGOS Alumni who who are willing to share their professional expertise and advice on leadership, careers and life. Mentees participating in this program gain understanding from a valuable perspective through one-on-one interaction with mentors. Mentors have the satisfaction of using their insight to assist another on their journey to success.

Initially in 2011, the program is starting with approximately 20 pilot partnerships of young alumni and more experienced alumni. Click here for a List of Mentors.

Goals

• Provide young leaders with positive role models who share insight into their professional and personal experiences and career paths as adults.
• Offer young alumni career guidance and general professional advice.
• Provide insight into different career areas for alumni.
• Inspire alumni to pursue careers in their field of interest.
• Encourage and motivate alumni to work toward long-term goals.
• Assist alumni in polishing their resumes and improving interview skills.
• Share knowledge and resources about industries, employers or companies.
• Introduce young alumni to members of the larger alumni community.
• Leverage the AMIGOS network to build long-term professional relationships.
   

AMIGOS' Commitment

The AMIGOS Alumni Associate will arrange a conference call with the Mentor and Mentee to make introductions. Subsequent contact methods and frequency will be determined by the mentor-mentee partnership. AMIGOS alumni are an international group of individuals, so in-person meetings may not be possible. For a strong mentoring relationship, regular communication is recommended. AMIGOS recommends a minimum of monthly communication, and a maximum of weekly communication. Ultimately, each relationship will have its own dynamic. It is always the mentee's responsibility to initiate contact, and to accommodate the mentor’s schedule. 

In addition to the introductory call, AMIGOS will arrange a mid-year evaluation to assess progress in the partnership.  Finally, after one year, AMIGOS will ask for feedback about the experience. The pairs are determined by the work experience and background knowledge of the mentor, as well as the interests and aspirations expressed by the mentees.

Mentees

In the initial phase of the Mentorship Program, only former Project Staff will be invited to apply as mentees. This is because they have proved their dedication to be trained and act as leaders. Some may be in college or graduate school, others may be just starting their careers. All of them have great potential and would benefit from professional and personal guidance in navigating their path to success. Applications are available online here:

Mentee Application

Mentors

A mentor's main role is to share his or her own perspective and wisdom based on life experience as it applies to their mentee’s situation. Mentors listen to mentee’s questions and concerns about navigating their way through college, grad school or their first job, and offer relevant advice based on their own experience. Mentors talk about their life, their job and what they did in the past that helped them get to where they are now. Mentors help point motivated alumni in the right direction for success and share useful career literature, recommend programs/classes, open up their rolodexes to connect mentees to other professionals, encourage mentees through job searches and more. Applications are available online here:

Mentor Application

Applications

The online application takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. It is mostly multiple choice, with a couple of short answer questions. Be prepared to describe your goals and motivation for participating in the program. 

QUESTIONS? EMAIL:

alumni@amigoslink.org