Frequently Asked Questions about the Kellogg Alumni Mentorship Program

What does being a mentor in KAMP entail?
What will I get out of being a mentor?
What are the responsibilities of a mentor/protégé?
How do I get involved? What is the process?
How can I increase my chances of a successful match?
I missed the deadline; can I still get a mentor/protégé?

What does being a mentor in KAMP entail?

As a mentor, you are in a position to

• Provide advice on career options. Discusses particular fields of interest
• Offer an introduction to a variety of information and resources to assist your protégé in preparing for specific careers/jobs
• Provide friendship and guidance
• Offer an alternate perspective
• Assist with learning effective problem-solving skills
• Assist with identifying his or her personal strengths and areas of improvement
• Encourage goal setting and achievement of those goals

What will I get out of being a mentor?

Previous and current mentors call it

• A rewarding experience in guiding a Kellogg student
• A chance to help your alma mater and be connected to Kellogg
• An opportunity to develop your mentoring skills in a structured environment
• Help your protégé to become an active, self-directed problem solver
• A means to help students toward success

What are the responsibilities of a mentor/protégé?

As a protégé, the student is responsible for seeking out a mentor from alumni who have opted in to the process, and for reaching out to his/her mentor when the match is made. The student is also responsible for clearly articulating his/her goals for the mentor/protégé relationship. Furthermore, the student should be cognizant of the time and availability constraints of his/her mentor and work with him/her to create a mutually rewarding association.

As a mentor, the alumnus/a is responsible for providing as much information as possible regarding his/her work and volunteer experience, including past employment, so that students can make an informed choice when selecting their mentor. The alumnus/a should also be clear as to the constraints on his/her time and availability, and work with the student to create a mutually rewarding association.

How do I get involved? What is the process?

Students should attend one of the information sessions held during CIM week by representatives of the KSA. Later, a communication will be sent out by section representatives, announcing the address and availability of the online KAMP directory and the mentor selection site. Students would then go online, search the database of alumni/ae who have indicated their interest in being a mentor. Using his/her own criteria, each student would then select his or her top choices, in order of preference. Student names are selected at random and mentors assigned in order of preference and availability. You will be notified of your match and will then have 24 hours to opt out of the match. If a second round is necessary, the process will repeat, excluding the names of alumni who were successfully matched in the first round. Once you have a mentor, it is your responsibility to contact them to set up your first meeting.

Alumni should indicate their willingness to be a mentor by joining the KAMP program online and updating their profiles on the Kellogg Alumni Network. This process will make your profile available through the KAMP directory, which students will search to find their top mentor choices. If you are successfully paired, you will receive an email notifying you and providing you with information on the student who selected you, after which you will be contacted directly by the student. If a match isn’t made this round, you will receive a communication from Kellogg to this effect.

How can I increase my chances of a successful match?

Students should think broadly about what sort of mentor they are searching for. If you don’t find a mentor who fits a narrow set of criteria (currently working at a specific company, or perhaps falling within a certain range of graduation year), consider a broader set of experiences that might fit your needs.

Alumni/ae should provide as much information as possible, especially as regards your work and volunteer experience. Students may be interested in experience you have in a particular field, set of responsibilities, or with a particular company which may not be immediately apparent from your current position. Prior employment history, job industry and function, and even volunteer and civic affiliations can all help a student get a good picture of what you bring to the table. Please note: The number of matches is based on alumni supply and student demand. While we hope that all interested alumni will have an opportunity to serve as a mentor, it is possible that you will not me matched with a student this year. We hope that if this is the case, you will continue to participate so that a future student can benefit from your experience.

I missed the deadline; can I still get a mentor/protégé?

Due to the complexity of the matching process, we currently run the matching process during the fall (the beginning of the academic year). If student demand is high enough, we may run a second process in the winter (the beginning of the second term). We do not provide one-on-one services. Students, however, have year-round access to the Kellogg Alumni Network and its directory, and are encouraged to use this resource to build their personal networks at any time.