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The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE) has established the Alumni Student Mentoring Program (ASMP) to help provide guidance and support during your undergraduate years and beyond.

What are the goals of the Alumni Student Mentoring Program (ASMP)?

• Impart on students a sense of professionalism and maturity.
• Link alumni and current students.
• Establish a culture of service in ChBE.
• Provide a means for alumni to make a significant impact on students.

Why participate in ASMP?

• Gain valuable career advice.
• Broaden your professional network.
• Learn more about your field(s) of interest and the types of jobs/companies in these areas.
• Learn how someone previously in your shoes has transitioned into the professional world, works on achieving professional goals, and deals with work-life balance.
• Foster a sense of professionalism.
• Gain additional insights and support beyond those of your faculty and fellow students.

What is expected of students?

• Complete an expectations training session prior to meeting your mentor to learn the��student/program expectations presentation. Email the ASMP coordinator if you are not connected to this training within a few days of completing the online form to sign up.
• Meet in person or via Zoom with your mentor at least once a semester (prioritize Zoom for your first meeting). The focus is on establishing face time between mentors and students.
• Maintain your relationship through a reasonable number of emails or phone calls. Please realize that your mentor most likely has a full-time job, so be considerate of their time. Communication is important; you may considering saying something like, “I may have a lot of questions for you, especially when I’m looking for a job or considering classes. Please just let me know if I am taking up too much of your time.”
• Answer mentor emails or phone calls in a timely manner (1-2 days), even if it is only to say you are quite busy at the present moment and will get back to your mentor at length within a week or two.
• Behave professionally and respectfully. For instance, turn your cell phone off during in-person meetings; attend in-person meetings in business casual attire, unless requested otherwise by your mentor; address your mentor formally in emails, unless requested otherwise by your mentor.

What kind of advice can mentors impart to students?

The advice mentors impart to students will vary greatly, but below are some general topics mentors may address.

• Career Advice:��What fields and opportunities are out there, and how can students prepare now to position themselves to take full advantage? Based on their career goals, should students consider post-graduate school or go directly into industry?
• The Transition from School to the Next Step:��Whether students are going into industry or graduate/medical/law school, mentors can provide valuable advice on how to make the transition go as smoothly as possible.
• A Sense of Professionalism:��Advice on how students will be expected to carry themselves and act in the professional world.
• How to Find a Job:��How to network and best present oneself, job search tools that may be useful, etc.
• How to Choose a Graduate/Medical/Law School:��What is most important to consider when applying for and visiting schools? For instance, advisor connection, program rank if going into academia, multiple research projects of interest, etc.
• Ways to Bolster a Resume:��Apart from a high GPA, what will help students find a job or get into a good graduate school? This may be certain industrial experience, research, leadership roles, volunteer work or other extracurricular activities.
• The Importance of Service:��Why is giving back or volunteering is important?
• Helpful Advice Mentors Have Received:��Advice that helped shape the mentor’s career or life.

How are mentors and students matched?

• Students will fill out the sign up form on the ASMP website to express their interests.
• Mentors will be asked to background information for pairing purposes.
• The ASMP Coordinator will match mentors with student mentees based on shared interests and send an introductory email to everyone. The ASMP Coordinator will then step back and let the mentor initiate the next contact.

How long is the commitment?

• Mentor-mentee pairing will be maintained through the academic year.��Mentors will only be changed within an academic year based on the request of a mentor or mentee.
• Mentor-mentee pairs may continue for subsequent academic years if all are in agreement on continuing. We strongly encourage willing mentors to remain in contact with mentees after completion of their degrees too.

Will there be opportunities for feedback?

• The ASMP Coordinator will be contacting all students during their first mentoring semester to check in and solicit feedback.
• A survey may occasionally be administered to all mentors and students to determine ways in which to improve the program.

What expectations must students meet in order to continue each semester in the ASMP?

• Students must meet with their assigned mentor within 2 months of being paired. If a student does not initiate a first meeting within that time frame, they will be removed from the program and their mentor will be assigned to a different student.
• Students must meet with their assigned mentor at least once per semester (ideally 2-3 times per semester). If a student does not initiate a at least one meeting per semester, they will be removed from the program and their mentor will be assigned to a different student.
• Students must respond to emails/contact from mentors in a timely fashion (within 2 business days, even if to quickly clarify when a more completed response will be sent). If a mentor is not hearing responses from a mentee, the student will be removed from the program and their mentor will be assigned to a different student.

How many students are assigned to a mentor?

• Mentors will have a small number of student mentees, to be determined based on the number of volunteers.��

What are some sample questions?

• Can you tell me about yourself and your current job?
• How did you get where you are now?
• What would you like to know about me?
• What classes do you think might help me after school?
• Do you recommend graduate school or getting an MBA?
• How do I put myself in a position to succeed in industry?
• What are the positives and negatives of a large company versus a small company?
• Would you be willing to look at my resume and cover letter and give me pointers?
• Do you have recommendations for how to network?
• In what activities did you participate outside of school?
• How did you manage the transition out of CU?
• What can I do to set myself apart from my peers?
• What do I need to do now to make myself the most marketable?
• Do you have any test-taking or studying strategies?
• Can you explain more about jobs in a particular field? What exactly do people spend their time doing at work?
• I’m interested in (certain classes or activities). Can you suggest any companies or graduate schools where I would do this kind of work?
• Is there a certain field you might recommend (which I may not have thought of before)?
• What were your goals, and how did you achieve them?
• How do you balance work and your personal life?
• How is work different from school?
• How should I conduct myself at work, especially if it is more formal?
• How do I give the best present myself in interviews and in the workplace?
• Will my first job out of school pigeon-hole me and my career?
• How do I get on the management track?
• How do I get into consulting? How does independent consulting work?
• Do you have any tips on negotiating?
• Do you have advice on financial issues? For instance, various retirement plans, stock purchase plans, resources for money management and stock investment, or in buying a house?

If you have any questions whatsoever during any point in the process, please do not hesitate to contact the��ASMP Coordinator.