Leaders Giving Back Mentoring in Schreyer
With more than 17,000 Scholar alumni and exclusive access to Penn State's Distinguished Alumni, Schreyer mentoring programs give you access to highly accomplished professionals who are excited to assist you on your professional journey.
Apply for SDA Mentoring Apply for Mentoring with Honors
Society of Distinguished Alumni Mentoring
As a Schreyer Scholar, you have the exclusive opportunity to connect with members of Penn State's Society of Distinguished Alumni (SDA), recipients of the University's highest honor bestowed upon an outstanding alumna or alumnus.
The SDA Mentoring Program pairs Schreyer Scholars with alumni mentors to engage in conversations around leadership, career advice, personal goals, and more.
The program is a one-year commitment. Although many mentors and protégés stay in touch after their official commitment ends. The mentoring relationship is student-driven and the goals for the year, as well as decisions around how often to meet, are agreed upon by the mentor and protégé.
While many meetings may take place online, Scholars can expect to meet with their mentors in-person at least once a year, during a fall event at University Park. Additional meetings are at the discretion of the mentor and protégé.
Distinguished Alumni are seasoned alumni who are or have been leaders in industry or academia. They include CEOs and company executives, Board of Trustee members, high-ranking military and government officials, lawyers, judges, elected officials, company owners, higher education leaders, and more.
These alumni have years of experience in their chosen fields and a wealth of knowledge to share with Scholars of any major or career path. Learn more about Distinguished Alumni on the Penn State Alumni Association website.
Scholars in good academic standing at any campus are eligible to participate in the program. Applications are open from mid-January to mid-February each year and information sessions will be held in the fall prior to applications opening. Scholars must complete an online questionnaire and two brief training videos via LionLink to apply. Look for announcements in the weekly Schreyer email newsletter and on Schreyer social media accounts.
Scholars are matched with their mentors in March. At that time, Scholars are encouraged to connect with their mentors to begin the relationship and set goals.
Each mentor/protégé relationship will be different and conversations will vary based on where Scholars are in their academic journey. However, all Scholars, whether a first-year or senior, can benefit from the program. While Scholars may be paired with a mentor in a field that aligns with their career goals, that is not a requirement of a successful pairing. Mentors can provide a wealth of professional and life advice that is applicable to all career trajectories.
To help ensure a successful relationship, Scholars should set clear goals but keep an open mind. Ideally, Scholars will gain a trusted advisor and friend that will last well beyond the program timeline.
Some of the things Scholars may discuss with their mentors include:
- Personal mission statements
- Life, career and academics balance
- Career goals and pathways to long-term career ambitions
- Leadership advice
- Networking and making career connections
The Society of Distinguished Alumni Mentoring Program is offered through a partnership with the Penn State Alumni Association. Contact scholars@psu.edu with questions.
Mentoring with Honors
Mentoring with Honors (MwH) pairs current Scholars with Scholar Alumni in a one-year professional relationship to gain guidance in their career journey. Mentors and mentees typically connect around topics, such as career development and decision making. Many Scholars and alumni stay in touch beyond the academic year and some form life-long connections.
The mentoring relationship is student-driven, and the mentee is expected to initiate and maintain the relationship. The goals for the year as well as decisions around how often to meet are agreed upon by the mentor and mentee. Meetings will typically take place online and generally pairs are meeting about once a month.
Scholars in good standing at any campus are eligible to participate. Applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis from September to February, but Scholars are encouraged to apply at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. Applications will not be accepted after February 14 to ensure mentors and mentees have enough time to connect.
Information sessions will be held in the fall for those interested in learning more about the program. Scholars must complete a brief online questionnaire via LionLink to apply. Look for announcements in the weekly Schreyer email newsletter and on Schreyer social media accounts.
Scholars are matched with mentors on a rolling basis. Once matches are released, Scholars are encouraged to connect with their mentors to begin the relationship and set goals.
While we often try to pair Scholars and alumni who have similar fields of interest, scholars paired with alumni outside their field can still greatly benefit from the relationship and guidance an alumnus has to offer.
Each mentor/mentee pair is unique based on the goals of the Scholar and the expertise of the alumnus. Conversations will also vary based on where Scholar is in their academic journey. In this program, we will do our best to match mentees with a mentor who aligns with their major and ideally with their career trajectory. Mentors can provide a wealth of career and life advice that is applicable to all career trajectories. To help ensure a successful relationship, Scholars should set clear goals and keep an open mind.
Some of the things you may want to focus on with your mentor, include:
- Choosing a major
- Career exploration
- Graduate/professional school decisions and preparation
- Goal setting
- Career or skill development
- Resume feedback
- Professional communications/networking
- Transitioning to the work world or graduate/professional school
Mentoring with honors is sponsored by the Scholar Alumni Society Board. For additional information or questions, contact the Schreyer Career Development Office at SHCCareerDev@psu.edu.
