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Alumni & Faculty Mentors

Alumni Mentors

Alumni serve as mentors to students in the College by offering networking opportunities and career advice. College students may meet alumni at events sponsored by the alumni association and CAPS. Students are also encouraged to read the section on informational interviewing in the Career Advising and Planning Services (CAPS) Guide to Career Services and to take advantage of the Alumni Careers Network, a database of nearly 7,000 alumni.

Faculty Mentors

Faculty are an excellent resource of knowledge and experience. They can offer advice when students are making a range of decisions, from selecting classes and majors to extracurricular activities and post-graduate plans. For students considering post-graduate study, these connections are essential. Faculty mentors provide advice about graduate programs and the application process. Graduate admissions committees also expect to read letters of recommendation from faculty who know an applicant's work well and can assess his or her potential as a contributor to the field. Although is it not possible to get to know every instructor well, students can forge relationships with at least some of their teachers.

First- and second-year students who are in large classes or in departments where finding a faculty mentor is more difficult can begin by getting to know their teaching assistants. Although graduate students can make good mentors and can write letters for some purposes, it remains important to get to know faculty well.

Tips on Finding a Faculty Mentor