Mentoring Program
In 2012, Public Policy launched a new Alumni Mentoring Program that matches incoming MPP students with distinguished mentors from our alumni community and board of advisors. Mentors provide a valuable service to their mentees, helping them identify realistic professional goals, develop a plan for achieving those goals, and understand how to thrive in a competitive professional environment. All incoming students are strongly encouraged to participate in this voluntary program.
The goals of the Alumni Mentoring Program include:
- Providing additional support and advice to our MPPs as they search for and choose between internships and job opportunities;
- Helping MPPs indentify career goals and think about various paths to those goals;
- Providing alumni with an opportunity to play an important role in their mentee’s professional development; and
- Strengthening ties between alumni participants and W&M Public Policy
In late September of each academic year, we will issue a call to alumni and board members to identify potential mentors for the new first-year MPPs. Potential mentors and mentees can meet in person at the annual Washington Program alumni reception in early October. Following that reception, the program will match mentors with mentees and will provide separate orientation programs for new mentors and mentees (on campus) to facilitate a productive mentoring relationship. Once matched, mentors and mentees will meet regularly -- either in person or vitually -- throughout a mentee’s tenure in the MPP Program and may continue post-graduation if both parties agree.
If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please contact Elaine McBeth, Associate Director of W&M Public Policy, at esmcbe@wm.edu or at 757-221-2386.
