The Chemistry Graduate Mentorship Program is a professional development activity that pairs current graduate students with departmental alumni now working in professional capacities for a year of structured one-on-one mentoring.
This program is designed to foster career development and pairs current graduate students with departmental alumni now working in professional capacities for a year of one-on-one mentorship (January – December). During the program, alumni mentors and graduate student mentees interact on a monthly basis.
The program enables mentees to explore career options and opportunities, develop and enhance a professional network, and build non-technical skills as they prepare to enter the workforce following graduate school.
NOTE: Applications for the 2025 Chemistry Graduate Mentorship Program will open in fall 2024.
Our Students' Experience
Name: Keuna Jeon
How did mentorship play a role in helping you reach the finish line of your doctoral studies?
Having another graduate who understands the process of finishing of the doctoral studies in chemistry, especially from a different group, as a mentor really helped me navigate through the finish line as well as being able to look things in a different perspective.
In what ways did mentorship influence or assist your job search process and career development?
The mentorship program organized by chemistry department helped me open my eyes up on the various possible pathways a Chemistry PhD can lead me in the job market and how to be searching for different types of the jobs in the science field as well as having help in adjusting my CV for chemistry related careers in the future directly from my mentor.
Any specific advice you would offer to current graduate students seeking to participate in our mentorship program and how to maximize the benefits of it?
You are the driver of this mentorship program. Just like your PhD, you need to plan out the topics that you want to discuss and have an outline of an overarching goal you want to accomplish by the end of the year from the mentorship program. Go prepared for your monthly or bimonthly meetings with your mentor to make not only your time but also the mentor's time worth while during the process. Get to know your mentor and let the mentor know you, so that you can connect with them even outside the mentorship program as your network in the future.