Alumni Advice: Finding a Mentor
We asked alumni on St. Thomas Connect “What advice do you have for students on how to identify a potential mentor and form a lasting connection?” You can learn from their words of wisdom below!
Looking for more advice, or ready to be a mentee or mentor yourself? Check out St. Thomas Connect, our dedicated platform, where Tommies engage, learn, and grow together. Visit the “Connect –> Community” tab to search for potential mentors by industry, degree, help topic, and more.
Build Genuine Connections and Trust
Your mentor should be someone you feel comfortable with and can count on. Look for people who have experiences and values that align with your interests.
“When it comes to finding and identifying mentors, I think students should look for three different factors.
- First, they should identify a mentor who works, practices, or is a subject matter expert in an area they want to learn and grow in. This creates opportunities for sustained development and ideally is an area that the student themselves is passionate about.
- Next, they should find a mentor who is good at creating a sense of psychological safety. Mentorship is encouraging, but it should also be a space for real growth, and that happens in a space where both parties can be honest and vulnerable with each other.
- Finally, individuals should find a mentor who can challenge them to think bigger, stretch their limits, and hold them accountable. The best mentors balance support with challenge, ensuring that growth is both sustainable and transformative.”
Eshan Varma
“Trust! Take the time to talk to somebody who you think has your same interests or background. Start building a relationship. Sometimes you don’t get the right feeling, so keep searching. But then build a relationship by communicating, sharing, listening, and asking.”
Steven Olsen
“Try to focus on the quality of the relationship more than what the connection can give you. Authenticity and integrity will go further than superficial results-driven leads. If you feel a genuine connection, the other party most likely does as well!”
Taylor McMonigle
“Find someone who is doing exactly what you want to do and learn as much as you absolutely can from them. Ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid to copy what they are doing.”
Sam Rauchwarter, PT, DPT, SCS
“From my experience, you must identify the right mentor by finding someone whose values and experience really connect with you, then start by asking for a little advice instead of a big commitment. Follow through on what they share, thank them, and let them know how it helped. Over time, those small steps can grow into a strong, lasting connection.”
Allan Hansen
Keep an Open Mind
Your mentor can come from another profession, another industry, or from outside of the Tommie Network and still add great value to your growth.
“Try to keep in mind that it’s OK if your potential mentor(s) might not be experienced in all relevant areas you’re interested in, it can be helpful to seek mentorship from a variety of people, even those in different stages of their career, roles, or even industries to gain different perspective at different times. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and reach out to potential mentors, be respectful of everyone’s time, get to know them, and give them updates as appropriate on how you’re doing. “
Breanna Arndt
“Do not restrict yourself to school or post-school. Do not restrict yourself to your profession nor restrict yourself to your company. I cannot stress this enough – keep an open mind on whom that might be! One of the best mentors I had was an Executive Director of a YMCA Camp and I was in Financial Services at a global financial company!”
John Abel
Start the conversation
Take initiative! Preparation and curiosity go a long way.
“Start by asking, “Can I do an informational interview with you?”. Go to the person’s work, shadow with them, and have your list of questions ready! 20-40 questions written out. Your questions will help you learn from them and will help guide the conversation. This is a process that most students do not follow!”
Joe McCullagh
“Look to see if your employer offers a mentor program and take advantage of that. If that isn’t available, try to seek someone out that has tenure and is doing work that you have done in the past. When possible, meet in person and get to know them both professionally and personally.”
Linda Ladley
