Goals of the Mentoring Program. . .

• to provide an opportunity for students to learn about career paths, professional fields, and educational options from alumni working in their field of interest.
  
   
• to provide an opportunity for alumni to become more involved with the College of Agricultural Sciences by sharing their knowledge and experience with students.

As part of the program, you will. . .

• Decide upon a preferred method of communication with your mentor or protégé. Choose a method of communication that is convenient for both of you and that you will both use regularly. It is frustrating to send someone an email and not receive a reply for a week; these problems can typically be avoided by discussing this at the outset.
  
   
• Complete a “goal setting” sheet together. This will allow you to share your expectations with your mentor or protégé, and to set reasonable, workable goals and action steps that will meet or exceed these expectations.
  
   
• Help us to evaluate the program. Each participant will receive evaluation forms throughout the year. It is particularly important for all mentors and protégés to complete and return these forms by the dates requested. These evaluations help us to provide you with the best possible experience and to improve our program for future participants.
  
   
• The mentoring partnership is designed to last for the 2006-07 academic year. We understand, however, that some partnerships will last longer than others. We will do our best to match alumni with students based on the information provided in the applications, but sometimes two people just do not “click” in their mentoring relationship. Please note that this is not considered a failure on either part and participants should feel free to speak with Jillian Stevenson, Director of Alumni Relations, to discuss the situation and bring closure to the relationship, if needed.

IMPORTANT: This program is not designed to provide students with a job or internship. The program seeks to enhance a student's career awareness, so that he or she is better equipped to find internships and jobs that match his or her goals and interests in the future.

Any questions, please contact Jillian Stevenson, Director of Alumni Relations, (814) 863-7278 or jstevenson@psu.edu