CLARION, Pa. – Clarion Univeristy’s mentorship program launched last year in collaboration with the Center for Career and Professional Development and College of Business Administration and Information Sciences.

Designed to link current Clarion University juniors and seniors with alumni and employers, CUmentor encourages mentoring partnerships that share knowledge and experience and facilitates career exploration and coaching.

“I think it’s a tremendous accomplishment for us to say that this program is truly helping to change the lives of students and better equipping them for the future,” said Josh Domitrovich, Clarion University’s coordinator for career mentoring and internships.

In creating CUmentor, Domitrovich researched ten U.S. universities with fully implemented mentorship programs in order to create a program specifically for Clarion campus.

CUmentor allows students to connect with alumni and employers for one-on-one meetings, job shadowing opportunities, and potential internships and future careers. The program has also implemented Professional Development Day, an annual informational workshop event on campus.

After the program’s first full year, (Fall 2015/Spring 2016 semesters) the results show room for expansion across campus and into other departments. Domitrovich expects the program to be implemented across the entire campus in the next two years.

Key Findings

• A full 75 percent felt more prepared about their professional field after completing the program
• Mentees and mentors connected eight or more times during the mentorship
• Forty-two percent of mentors were recent graduates, themselves

The CUmentor program has a dual role of assisting students on their path to the future and also gives mentors the satisfaction of giving back to the university community and being able to guide students toward successful careers. Increasing student preparedness, confidence, and knowledge related to professional field(s) of interest is one of the program’s top goals.

By connecting with professionals who provide advice on topics such as gaining experience, networking, interviewing, and life after college, Clarion students can gain a competitive edge in the job market. Moving forward, CUmentor hopes to track the broader impact of the program, from retention rates to job placement.

For more information, please visit www.clarion.edu/cumentor or contact the coordinator at [email protected]