UC Alumni UK Mentorship Program

Image Credit: Fiona Hanson

As a graduate of the University of California now living in the UK or Europe, you’re an important part of the thousands-strong vibrantly diverse network of professionals working across business, academia, arts and public or charitable service.

Exclusively for alumni, by alumni, the University of California Alumni UK Mentorship Program announces its annual program intake! If you’re successfully forging a career in the UK, perhaps earned a promotion, managed to achieve a great work/life balance or have other wisdom to share, there are fellow UC graduates who could benefit from your perspective. Or if you’re an alumnus who could gain from career guidance or a fresh perspective from someone outside your current network, we’d love to make that happen.

Applications for the 2023 Mentorship Program have now closed. If you have any questions about the program, please contact us at alumni@californiahouse.org.uk

What is it?

The University of California UK Alumni Mentorship Program is a cross-campus free matching service which puts prospective mentors in touch with fellow alumni (“mentees”) who’ve asked for specific type of help. It is powered by a small committee of volunteer alumni to assist in optimizing matching and getting each mentorship pair off to a productive start.

Unlike mentoring opportunities that may be available within the organization where you work, this program provides a natural starting point of your California history and UK setting whilst allowing cross-industry knowledge, not to mention candor that might not always be advisable intra-company.

The program will have a 6-month timeframe from January through June. The expectation is that you meet with your match 3-6 times over that period. Whether this is by phone, video conference, or over a cup of coffee is up to you and your match.

What are the benefits of participating?

Mentees gain a fresh point of view, feel supported and motivated to make improvements. Mentors find they reap satisfaction in helping others as well as learning something themselves along the way.

Over time, increased connections amongst alumni benefit the entire UC alumni network. This is a key advantage of belonging to the University of California community.

What do I need to do?

Whether you’re interested in mentoring, being mentored or both, it starts with you letting the committee know what you’d like to contribute and/or gain from the pairing. This enrolment application will be the primary basis for matching you. Please note in previous years, the mentee role has been over-subscribed, at which point we start to waitlist further requests, so we strongly advise you to enroll today.

Applications will close at the end of November, with matches announced in January. You will be invited to join us for our in-person Mentorship Program Kick-Off, which will take place at the end of January. While this is not a requirement, we would be thrilled if you could join us for this.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’d like to get mentored but feel I can also help others in my area of strength. Can I do both?

Absolutely! Please fill out the questionnaire pertaining to each mentee and mentor.

I’ll be away for a chunk of time between January and July, can I still participate?

If you’re confident you can make it work despite your absence (e.g., meeting up several times before/after your absence), then please do sign up. Please note that the top dis-satisfier for mentors has been where there is a lack of engagement by mentees, so please only sign up if you are committed to participate.

How will my match and I know how to get started?

What you specifically want to get out of the mentoring is up to you. We’ll provide you with a framework based on best practices to help you get the most out of the experience. This will be shared once the matching has been completed in January. If at any point you’re stuck, the volunteer committee is available to help things get back on track.

Why is UC doing this?

Having mentoring available is one of the top things UK alumni have said they’d find valuable via the UC network. Strengthening connections across the network benefits everyone. Feedback surveys from previous intakes have been positive, with many alumni returning to participate in later programs.

Still have questions?

If you have any questions on the program, difficulties accessing the application, or feedback on previous programs, please contact Todd Shelley.

Our Committee

Co-Chair

Keitlin Li, UC Berkeley