Benefit from the experience of former students

Since we can't rely on instinct alone, passing on knowledge is one of the first skills our species has developed. Whether around a campfire or on a university campus, we have all received and many have passed on knowledge to our peers. The school system was merely the structuring of ancient processes where apprentices followed their masters into the forge, the workshop or the fields.

Despite this structure, the question of mentoring remains at the very heart of training, especially in higher education. Mentoring programs have been part of the university landscape for many years. Undergraduates, masters and doctoral candidates are all looking to be supported by someone from the professional world they are aiming to reach.

Of course, teachers and other people around them can play this role, but this will never surpass the effects of a mentor-mentee pairing. This relationship of trust is often built with people who have been in the same working environment for some time. To find potential mentors, you can also turn to alumni.

The wisdom of alumni

In an academic world that often seeks to integrate graduates into the institution, mentoring is not always at the top of the list. Yet it makes sense. Not only does it bring together people with an interest in the same business sector, but they are also linked by the experience of studying in the same faculty. This creates an even stronger personal relationship between individuals.

What's more, the graduate can tell the student the facts about the professional world he or she is aiming for, the steps to take after graduation, and so on. They often act as a relay between what is learned in the classroom and reality in the field. Inevitably, a more or less wide gap exists between the two. The former student can then guide the current student in making decisions about professional and even personal development.

For example, at this university in Tennessee, medical graduates talk about the delicate balance between their clinical or hospital practice and their private lives. In this way, they can remind us of the importance of not neglecting either sphere too much, as this has negative consequences.

Connecting the two groups

An increasing number ofuniversities are working to introduce alumni-student pairings into their mentoring programs. In fact, some technology companies have sniffed out the bargain, offering services and software to create alumni engagement or find and connect potential mentees.

To ensure a relevant mentoring structure, it seems necessary that, through external or internal means, faculties should be able to connect mentors and students based on the interests of each. An entrepreneurial student will surely be more motivated to communicate with a graduate who has started his or her own business, for example.

Next, the school needs to decide on the length of the program. Is it a semester or a year? Is it flexible and can it last as long as the learner needs? Once the pairing has been made, it will be important to offer different communication channels for the pairs to interact regularly.

There's no reason why universities can't organize events where pairs can get together, resources to ensure that the relationship is working towards certain goals, and so on. Nevertheless, it's important to leave room for the relationship to flourish and develop. Academic institutions have a growing pool of graduates who could provide knowledge, encouragement and support to current students.

They shouldn't miss out on this manna that provides much valuable advice to students who will themselves become potential mentors in the future.

Illustration: NakoPhotography / DepositPhotos

References:

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Raffin, Oriane. "It's a person who's available to us, who wants to help us": How college mentoring is changing the game." Leparisien.fr. Last updated March 18, 2024. https://www.leparisien.fr/etudiant/orientation/universites/elle-ma-beaucoup-motivee-ma-dit-de-pas-lacher-meme-si-je-recevais-des-mails-types-de-refus-a-luniversite-savoie-mont-blanc-un-club-des-entreprises-soutient-les-etudiants-A7K5A55BBZB6XIR5VH7RFDTZVE.php.

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