Alumni Mentor Program

UCLA students are willing and eager to learn from your professional and personal experiences. We want to ensure that they are prepared in every aspect possible upon graduating from UCLA and entering the workforce. With your wisdom and guidance, we can work together to make sure UCLA students get the most out of their education by connecting with their UCLA alumni network. In the spirit of Bruins helping Bruins, we hope the mentorship provides lasting relationships that will continue to grow and evolve far beyond Westwood.

The UCLA Alumni Mentor Program is designed to engage alumni volunteers of all backgrounds and experience levels. Upon your approval of a student’s request, you commit to a mentorship until June 2021. We encourage mentors and mentees to connect on a regular basis (e.g., once a month phone call, in person meeting, or email conversation). However, the frequency and form of communication are things you both can determine. Throughout the year we’ll offer tips on effective mentorship techniques, topics to discuss with your student 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 commitment as a mentor lasts until June 2021.

Once you register for the UCLA Alumni Mentor Program through UCLA ONE (uclaone.com) you’ll be part of our exclusive, online mentoring community. UCLA students will have a chance to register and review mentor profiles to find a mentor who fits their interests and career goals. Once a student finds the ideal mentor, the student will click on the profile and send a message to request mentorship. From there, alumni will review mentorship request(s) and approve student(s) accordingly.

We recommend you mentor one to two students throughout the year. Most of our volunteers choose to mentor one student.

If you receive multiple requests, you will be able to review each student’s profile before confirming a request. We hope you’ll accept as many mentees as you feel fit to mentor, but you do have the option to decline a student if you simply don’t have time or think it’s the wrong fit. We recommend you mentor one to two students throughout the year. Most of our volunteers choose to mentor one student.

Once you have approved your mentee(s) request for mentorship, you will want to unselect the “UCLA Alumni Mentor Program” box under “Offer Mentorship” in your profile. You can do so by clicking on “Edit Profile,” then scrolling down to “Offer Mentorship” and unchecking “UCLA Alumni Mentor Program.” this will signal that you are no longer available for mentorship and thus no longer accepting requests.

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

Events and programs are not required. The great thing about this program is that your mentorship connection can be carried out as the mentor and mentee see fit. However, we do encourage you to attend as many program events, both in person and virtual, as possible to build a strong connection with your student.

You do not have to live in Los Angeles to participate. You can mentor by connecting with your student via phone calls, email, Skype, 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. Please follow these steps to sign up on UCLA ONE.

We encourage you to complete your UCLA ONE profile by including all relevant professional, academic, and volunteer experience. In addition, we have included the opportunity to answer the question, “Why do you want to mentor a student?” That will provide students with the best information to request mentorship. If you aren’t requested for mentorship through this program, Alumni Affairs offers many opportunities to volunteer your time and expertise – https://alumni.ucla.edu/get-involved/.

As a UCLA student, you have exclusive access to a robust network of alumni who are eager and willing to meet you and share their wisdom and advice about life beyond UCLA. The UCLA Alumni Mentor Program is a unique opportunity for you to form meaningful and lasting relationships with alumni that will extend beyond campus walls. As a program participant, you’ll have a chance to request a mentor to assist you with academic guidance, career advice and personal development.

The UCLA Alumni Mentor Program is designed to engage alumni volunteers of all backgrounds and experience levels. You will be paired through June 2021 with the mentor who has accepted your request for mentorship. We encourage you to connect with your mentor on a regular basis (i.e. once a month phone call, in person meeting, or email conversation). However, the frequency and form of communication are things you both can determine. Please DO NOT ask your mentor for a job or internship. The UCLA Alumni Mentor Program is about building your professional network, personal development and gaining academic and career advice. This program is not a direct pipeline to a job or internship, though it can often help with opportunities in the future.

The commitment as a student mentee lasts until June 2021. Students can review profiles and send requests to their preferred mentor. Alumni will review your request(s) and confirm/select student mentee(s) through the UCLA ONE site. Once this happens you will be officially part of the UCLA Alumni Mentor Program.

Throughout the year, you will have a chance to register and review mentor profiles to find a mentor who fits your interests and career goals. Once you find your ideal mentor, you will click on the alumni profile and send a message to request mentorship. From there, alumni will review mentorship request(s) and approve student(s) accordingly.

You are only allowed to send one mentor request. Make sure to review alumni profiles carefully and send your request to the alumnus who best fits your interests and career goals.

We ask that you give alumni enough time to respond, typically 2-3 days. Keep in mind that mentors are busy with their professions and personal lives, so please be considerate of their time. If you do not receive a mentorship request acceptance, please do not send a follow-up message asking alumni if they received your request and would like to be your mentor. Just go ahead and cancel your request, and make a new request to another potential mentor. You may contact alumnimentor@alumni.ucla.edu if you have any questions.

Once a mentor has accepted their mentee match, they will update their profile to indicate that they are no longer accepting mentor requests.

You are welcome to stay connected with your mentor as long as they are willing and able to help.

Events and programs are not required. The great thing about this program is that your mentorship connection can be carried out as both of you see fit. However, we do encourage you to attend as many program events, both in person and virtual, as possible to build a strong connection with your mentor.

Many of our Alumni Mentors do not have to live in Los Angeles. You can connect with your mentor via phone calls, email, Skype or FaceTime and still have a great connection. With remote learning in place, we recommend you find a mentor who interests you and shares aspects (hometown, background, etc.) that are meaningful to you. We will provide virtual events and discussions for you and your mentor to participate in, but your regularly scheduled communication is up to you to keep going.

It is quick and simple to sign up to be a mentee. Please follow these steps to sign up on UCLA ONE.