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The Center for Mentoring and Mentors Working Together!

We view our relationship with alums and other mentors as both synergistic and supportive.

  • Together we can accomplish more for our students as we help them cultivate the networks they need to leave Drew prepared for a world in which 85% of jobs are found through personal or professional connections, and 70-75% of all jobs are not posted on public job boards.
  • The Center also offers tools that you, too, can access for your own professional development and movement.

VOLUNTEER

The Center for Mentoring and Professional Networks engages alums and other community members to support our students’ development of a broad network of connections (social capital) in a variety of ways, including:

  • Workshops to develop mentoring/networking skills, including tips and tricks for helping students polish their skills.
  • One-to-one, short-term, connections with students to offer them advice about a variety of topics including time management, adulting, choosing a major, career paths, etc.
  • Membership on Drew Connect so students can connect with you at any time.
  • Involvement in classes as requested by faculty to speak, offer feedback on student presentations, or otherwise participate in the class.
  • Participation in panel discussions for students.
  • Involvement in formal and informal networking opportunities, in-person and/or virtual.
  • Engagement in a long-term mentorship with a student, directed by the Center.
  • Short-term job-shadowing opportunities.
  • Writing or producing content for Center resources.

Interested? Complete this form.

Training Workshops for Alums and Other Mentors

The Center asks alums and others to partner with us to network with and mentor our students–but that can be a daunting task without some guidance, particularly for those new to networking or mentoring themselves. Our workshops are designed to educate you about Drew Connect (including setting availability preferences), how to conduct an informational interview, how to offer constructive feedback to mock interviews and/or elevator pitch presentations, how to help students polish their professional networking skills, and more.

We also have a workshop designed specifically for alums looking for a mentor or to network themselves!

Following is a description of virtual workshops the Center will offer from time to time, but please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have other suggestions.

Dates will be posted here, shared in The Forest monthly newsletter, shared in the Drew Alumni LinkedIn group, and posted on both the Drew Events calendar and Drew Connect.

  • Drew Connect Basics for New Networkers: a 45 minute workshop on what purpose Drew Connect serves, the sign-up process, search tools for finding mentors within the platform, tips for outreach and other tools available on the platform. This workshop will also include a discussion of using Drew Connect in conjunction with LinkedIn and why neither should be the exclusive tool.
  • Drew Connect Basic Skills for Mentors: a 20 minute workshop, followed by Q&A about what purpose Drew Connect serves, the sign up process, tools for adjusting availability preferences so one does not become overwhelmed by outreach, and opportunities to develop purposeful connections via Groups and more.
  • Preparation for Informational Interview and/or Mock Interview Sessions:  We will give you best practices for approaching each — as well as how, constructively, to help students distinguish between the two and polish their interview skills.
  • Tips for Mentors:  Offering to be a mentor or to network with students is a service we value so much here at Drew. YOU are the ones who will best help them develop their skills in a low-key, low-stress way. We will offer easy tips to help you connect and include a discussion of how to turn what started as a casual conversation about common interests into a more professional conversation around career opportunities, while also helping students to recognize when that shift should happen.
  • Prep for Drew 110 participation: From time to time, we invite alums to participate in mock interview/networking sessions for this career preparation course. If you have not yet participated — or if you have and want to join — this is the workshop to join for an overview of the class and tips for engaging effectively in the program.

Other ideas? Just call us at 973-408-3838 or send us an email

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