Structured Mentorship Programme Launched!

The Structured Mentorship Programme is well and truly underway for another year at DCU. The joint-initiative between DCU Alumni and the DCU Careers Service is now in its sixteenth year. It has achieved high prestige throughout its course, including winning the ‘Excellence in Coaching and Mentoring’ category at the 2018 IITD National Training Awards. 

This year saw 110 mentors matched with 130 mentees for the 2019/2020 programme, with some of our graduate mentors electing to mentor more than one mentee. The matches were, for the most part self selected by mentors based on their area of professional expertise. 

On Thursday, 24th of October 2019, the Structured Mentorship Programme Opening Ceremony took place on the DCU Glasnevin campus. This provided an opportunity for mentors and mentees to meet with each other for the first time over refreshments and enjoy an introductory training session by ‘Super Mentee’, Gay White.

DCU Deputy President, Prof Daire Keogh, Director of Alumni Relations, Ross Munnelly, and Head of DCU Careers Service, Yvonne McLoughlin spoke about the strategic importance of the mentorship programme to DCU and the many benefits to mentors and mentees. 

For mentors, the programme will bring about a motivation in their careers as they support the development of the second year students. It also advances leadership and management skills in their own professional progression and graduates are actively contributing to the transformative student experience at DCU.

For mentees, they will enhance their employability, as well as developing their confidence, networking and communication skills.

Alumni Council member and ‘Super Mentor’, Gay White, was also on hand to provide an insight to mentors into what is expected from a mentor, underlining the importance of regular communication with their mentee throughout the programme. She advised that what you put into the programme is what you get out of it, from both sides!

With both students and professionals from all backgrounds and all areas, the next six months of the programme will be a transformative experience for both mentors and mentees. All participants will attend the mentorship closing ceremony in April 2020, when the Mentor and Mentee of the Year awards will be announced!