Alumni Mentors

Mentorship is a partnership between two people; a more experienced individual (the mentor) and an individual aspiring to learn from the mentor’s experience (the mentee). The USC Dornsife Alumni Mentorship Program’s central mission is to provide Dornsife students with the means to connect with alumni to support career exploration, job shadowing, and networking opportunities.

• The Mentor will provide insight and guidance to the mentee based on personal experience in career and academic pursuits.
• The Mentee will receive guidance and advice from a mentor to assist in career development, goal setting, and career-related decision-making.

A successful mentorship would be the completion of all required elements of the 9-week program:

• Orientation
• Coffee Chat (to schedule events)
• Activities 1-6
• Alumni Mentor Q&A on Zoom (no students)
• Closing Event/Alumni Mixer

It is not your responsibility to find the mentee a job. You are simply there to guide them and advise them on steps they can take to position themselves for a potential employment opportunity.

The mission of the USC Dornsife Alumni Mentorship Program is to provide Dornsife students with the means to engage with alumni so they can benefit from your professional and personal life experiences. In the spirit of Trojans helping Trojans, we hope the mentorship provides lasting relationships that will continue to grow and evolve far beyond USC.

The USC Dornsife Alumni Mentorship Program is designed to engage alumni volunteers of all backgrounds and experience levels.  Upon matching with a USC student mentee, you will be defining and scheduling goals (suggested activities provided) to be completed during the 9-week mentorship commitment.  We encourage mentors and mentees to connect on a regular basis (e.g., weekly phone/video calls, in-person meetings, or email conversations). However, the frequency and form of communication are things you both can determine.  Throughout the semester we’ll offer tips on effective mentorship techniques, topics to discuss with your mentee, and suggested activities to connect. Our team will also be standing by to answer any questions you might have. Prior mentorship experience is not required.

The USC Dornsife Alumni Mentorship Program is an 9-week commitment. It takes place twice each year, in fall and spring.

Register for the USC Dornsife Alumni Mentorship Program.

• You’ll complete a profile detailing basic information about you
• In addition, you’ll complete the USC Dornsife Alumni Mentorship Program registration where you’ll convey more specifically your areas of expertise
• Once registration is complete, you’ll be matched with a mentee

We recommend you mentor one to two students throughout the semester. Most of our volunteers choose to mentor one student at a time.

Alumni are welcome to continue mentoring their students as long as they are willing and able.

Some events and programs are required including Orientation, Coffee Chat task scheduling, and the Closing Celebration. The great thing about this program is that your mentorship connection can be carried out as the mentor and mentee see fit since the activities will be chosen by you and your mentee and will be completed according to each of your schedules.

You do not have to live in Los Angeles to participate. You can mentor by connecting with your student via phone, email, Zoom, or FaceTime and still be a great alumni mentor. We will provide virtual events and discussions for you and your mentee to participate in.

It is quick and simple to sign up to be a mentor.

• Sign up on the Trojan Network.
• Once registered, select Programs
• Complete the Dornsife Mentorship Program registration process.