SDSU AlumniMentor Program
The South Dakota State University Alumni Mentor Program is designed to match eligible SDSU students with SDSU alumni. Through these professional relationships, students will have another level of support to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to successfully launch their professional careers.
How It Works
Student mentees work one-on-one with alumni mentors to develop valuable soft skills and connect with industry leaders. The mentor pairs meet monthly (in person or virtually) to complete assigned activities designed to give the students insight into the professional work environment. Students exit the program ready to move into the next chapter of their lives and kickstart their careers.
Students
- Develop soft skills that employers desire.
- Gain access to experienced and knowledgeable industry experts.
- Expand your professional network.
Alumni
- Stay connected to the university community.
- Help develop the next generation of SDSU graduates.
- Opportunity to give back to your alma mater.
Follow Us on Social Media
Are you following the SDSU Alumni Mentor Program on social media? If not, now's the perfect time!
Stay connected with program updates, SDSU and Alumni & Foundation news, and exclusive spotlight features highlighting our incredible mentors and mentees.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Enrich the academic experience of participating students.
- Provide students with opportunities to kickstart their professional careers.
- Create opportunities for alumni to engage with South Dakota State University and be active members of the university experience.
For Students:
- Connect with industry leaders.
- Gain key insight into industry trends.
- Build your soft skills.
- Expand your professional network.
For Alumni:
- Become an engaged member of the SDSU community.
- Give back to the next generation of Jackrabbits.
- Reinvigorate your career by tapping into fresh perspectives.
Students:
- Have earned 60 or more credit hours
- Registered as a full-time SDSU student
- Willing and able to dedicate a minimum of 1 hour per month to complete the suggested activities with their assigned mentor
- Submit a high-resolution, professional photo. The photo should be only of the student themselves.
Alumni:
- Graduate of South Dakota State University
- Provide an updated resume.
- Currently employed or retired for less than 1 year
- Willing and able to dedicate a minimum of 1 hour per month to complete the suggested activities with their assigned student mentee
- Submit a high-resolution, professional photo. The photo should be only of the mentor themselves.
- Commit to the full duration of the program, which goes from October through April.
- Meet (in person or virtually) with your match a minimum of 1 hour per month.
- Work on activities designed to help student mentees become better prepared for their careers. The program provides a list of suggested activities with instructions to streamline the process.
- Complete the program surveys.
A full list of expectations can be found in the Alumni Mentor Program Handbook.
The program runs from October through April. Mentor/mentee pairs are expected to meet a minimum of 1 hour per month. When and how they meet is up to them. They can meet in person or virtually, during the week or weekend, day or night. The program is designed to be flexible for participants.
Absolutely! The program is flexible and allows participants to meet and complete activities virtually.
Matches are based on student preferences. Students are asked to rank their preferences based on Career Field, Major, Gender, and Geography. Additionally, they provide their professional interests, hobbies, and student organizations. Based on this information, we match them with alumni that align with their mentor preferences.
All students that apply by the early application deadline are guaranteed to be matched with a mentor. Students are welcome to submit applications after the early application deadline and before the final deadline, but there is no guarantee they will be matched with mentors.
For an alum, a submission of an application does not guarantee participation in the program or that they will be matched with a student mentee. They will be matched if their application profile aligns with the mentor preferences of a student mentee.
Yes! There is a Program Activity Tracker and Suggested Activities for each mentor/mentee pair to complete. Each activity has instructions to make the process streamlined and allows more time to be focused on the experience. These activities are designed to help prepare students for their careers. However, each mentor/mentee pair has the option of customizing the activities to meet the needs of the student mentee.
Ready to make an impact?
Students and alumni can apply below to join the Alumni Mentor Program and take part in a meaningful mentoring experience.
Program Resources
Through this program, I've learned how to take other people's insights and better myself by being open-minded and grateful for new outlooks. Both of my mentors, last year's and this year's, pushed me to be better, helped me to grow, and aided me in major career and life decisions. I'm grateful and fortunate to have a support system I never knew I needed.
— Emily Gibson, Mentor Program Participant
