MMA Mentorship Program

Mentorship Application (Access instructions at bottom of this page)

• Introduction
• Mission
• Benefits to Mentors
• Benefits to Students
• Mentorship Opportunities
  • One-on-One Student Mentors
  • Student Organization Mentors
• Mentor Responsibilities
• Student Responsibilities
• Joint Responsibilities
• Tips for Mentors
• Tips for Students
• Mentorship Application Instructions

Introduction

The McCombs MBA Alumni (MMA) Mentorship Program is a new initiative that provides an opportunity for alumni and students to build dymnamic relationships that will benefit them professionally and personally. The program includes three ways for alumni and students to connect: One-on-One Student Mentors and Student Organization Mentors.

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Mission

The mission of the MMA Mentorship Program is to facilitate relationships between MBA alumni and students, which will promote networking, give students professional/industry insight and keep alumni connected to the MBA program.

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Benefits to Mentors

• Opportunity to help current students grow professionally and personally
• Provide current students with your unique understanding and insight into your field and/or geography and/or area of expertise
• Strengthen your ties to McCombs
• Gain a fresh perspective of current theories taught in the Texas MBA program
• Increase the value of your degree by investing in current students

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Benefits to Students

• Learn first-hand from industry experts/knowledgeable alumni and gain personal insight into your field of interest, target companies, and locations of interest
• Complement classroom knowledge with real-world information
• Strengthen your networking effort through alumni devoted to the MMA Mentorship Program

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Mentorship Opportunities

• MBA One-on-One Student Mentors provide direct guidance to individual students. Mentors will have the opportunity to form a truly dynamic professional relationship with a single MBA student. The first semester of the relationship will serve as a trial period. After that semester, if either the mentor or student feels the relationship is not a good match, he/she can request to be re-assigned by speaking to the program coordinator directly.
   
• MBA Student Organization Mentors interact with groups of students involved with on-campus organizations. At least two MBA alumni will act as mentors for student groups that request this type of support. These alumni will provide insight regarding the various areas of interest that may be present in any given organization. They will also help student group leaders identify speakers, training, interview skills, and additional enrichment for the student organization. They will generally have a broad perspective of the industry in order to provide direction to a number of students with varying interests.

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Mentor Responsibilities and Expectations

As an alumni mentor, you provide insight into your industry to help students understand the practical requirements to be successful in the field. Additionally, you offer guidance and suggestions on the optimal approach to looking for a position in your functional area, industry, or geographic area. You will also share real world knowledge that can be applied to the theoretical concepts taught in the classroom.

We ask alumni mentors to follow the guidelines below:

• Allocate two hours per month of your time to support this initiative (e.g., correspondence, telephone calls, meetings, etc.)
• Provide guidance based on professional experience and industry knowledge
• Create a positive relationship based on open, honest communication
• Offer constructive criticism in a positive, supportive way and offer encouragement that will help students continue to find solutions
• Share both positive and negative experiences to help students gain a better understanding and perspective of your industry, geography, etc.
• Be honest about areas of expertise and be willing to suggest other options for students to find additional information
• Prepare as necessary beforehand to be efficient and productive during each interaction or meeting
• Discuss your accessibility with the student and be available based on that agreement
• Complete evaluation once a semester

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Student Responsibilities and Expectations

We ask student participants to agree to the following:

• Be professional with alumni during all interactions
• Utilize mentors to gain insight into a functional area, industry, or geography of interest
• Recognize that the mentor’s role is to serve as a trusted advisor, supporter, and coach and is not expected to provide job opportunities; the relationship could be terminated if the mentor perceives that the student has this expectation
• Conduct sufficient research into the industry or area of interest to help guide how best your mentor can enhance your learning
• Make initial contact with mentor within 2 weeks of assignment
• Establish realistic and attainable goals and expectations
• Be receptive to advice and acknowledge you are getting guidance from someone with knowledge and experience in your field or region
• Be open and honest in communicating with your mentor
• Prepare beforehand to be efficient and productive during each interaction or meeting
• Solicit feedback from mentor
• Complete evaluation once a semester

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Joint Responsibilities for Mentor and Student

• Establish guidelines and preferences for communication style and frequency; students should acknowledge that their mentors are busy and adhere to the parameters agreed upon
• Work together to establish priorities
• Develop an action plan and timeline to work toward goals
• Schedule meetings or interactions in advance and cancel only when absolutely necessary
• Set the agenda for each interaction

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Tips for Mentors

• Decide which of the three types of mentors you would like to be and provide accurate information to the program coordinator
• Schedule time to interact with your MBA student
• Be open and honest with your MBA student regarding your communication preferences and style
• Provide a realistic point-of-view of your industry, company, C/A/R, etc.

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Tips for Students

• Maintain a professional tone and demeanor at all times with your alumni mentor
• Prepare before each interaction with your mentor
• Keep a journal to document your meetings and your thought process between meetings; refer back to it as you progress in the program; this information will help you choose the best option relative to your job, company, or location preference

Mentorship Application (Access instructions at bottom of this page)