Apply to be Matched with an Alumni Mentor

About the Program:

Student protégés gain insights into career paths and build their professional networks while mentors experience the satisfaction of guiding the next generation of Penn Staters. This program requires the time commitment of one academic year, however pairs are welcome to continue the relationship beyond the academic year. The Mentoring Program was established in 2009 by Smeal’s Alumni Relations Office and the Smeal Alumni Society Board.

This Program is for the Following Smeal Students:

• Undergraduate students in their second, third, or fourth year.
• Undergraduate students who are in the Division of Undergraduate studies tracking for Smeal.
• Undergraduate students who are at a Commonwealth Campus tracking for Smeal.
• Graduate students who are in a One-Year Residential Master's Program.
• If a student will be studying abroad or doing a co-op, they are still eligible to apply to the program, however, they should indicate this at the end of their application, and alert their mentor of the unique situation when chatting for the first time. 

How Students Can Apply:

Students can now apply for the 2026-2027 academic year. The deadline to apply to be paired with an alumni mentor is June 8, 2026. 

Please read the FAQs about the program and then apply. Your application responses will assist us in the pairing process. Please have the following items ready to upload at the end of the application. Your application will not be considered complete until you upload the following documents:

• Your current resume. Do not worry if your resume is not perfect - your Mentor will be able to help you make improvements! For resume writing tips, please visit the Smeal Business Career Center website. 
• A brief statement telling us why you'd like to participate in the Mentoring Program. Please include the following elements when writing your statement:

1. What are your career goals? If you are unsure, just let us know what you're interests are now. If you've had an internship or other professional experience that you have enjoyed or not enjoyed, this is helpful information.
2. Provide 2-3 specific objectives for your mentoring relationship. These objectives can be ways you'd like a mentor to help you, advice you'd like to receive, or goals you'd like to achieve with their assistance.

If you were part of last year’s mentoring program, we invite you to apply for the upcoming academic year to be matched with a new mentor. You are also encouraged to continue your relationship with your current mentor outside of the formal program. If you prefer not to be matched with a new mentor, you may simply stay connected with your current mentor—no application or further action is needed.