Philanthropy Making the Most of Mentoring Programs

Sean Goheen, Schreyer Honors College, Penn State University

Do you have a mentoring program and want to make it stronger? Do you want to get one off the ground? Mentoring is an incredible tool for both student and alumni engagement when done well. Students benefit from post-graduate perspectives and make valuable connections. Development officers benefit from meaningful volunteer opportunities for alumni and donors for both cultivation and stewardships. There is no one right way to run a mentoring program. It can take many forms, timelines, and requirements. Mentorship is important at any stage of the career journey, but building a sustainable and fruitful program is easier said than done. This is particularly true for honors colleges and programs where students can major in and pursue paths in every field imaginable. How do you find the right fit for your students and alumni? How do you recruit them and ensure both students and alumni have a quality experience? How do you avoid being duplicative of other opportunities at your institution? If these are questions you’ve asked, or answered, then this is the session for you to gain and share knowledge.

Join other professionals to share best practices, ask questions, and gain new perspectives on all things mentoring programs for honors students. Topics can include:

• Traditional paired 1:1 programs
• Short term and group programs
• One-time networking events
• Asynchronous and on-demand networking (podcasts, video, etc.)
• Peer-to-peer programs
• Participant recruitment and onboarding
• Assessment and recognition