Alumni mentorship at Glendon off to a successful start

What do current students need to guide them in their selection of a future career? One is a good role model – someone in the know – who is ready to answer questions and provide support when needed.


At Glendon, the new Alumni Mentorship program has recently taken off with the goal of fulfilling just this need for students in their third or fourth year of study. Under the guidance of Associate Principal (Student Services) Louise Lewin, the plans were set and the details of the structure worked out last spring. On June 15, alumni interested in serving as mentors were invited to a working meeting, where the rules and regulations were finalized and plans were set for starting the mentoring this fall.


Right: Mentors and mentees met on Sept. 27 to get acquainted


A hugely successful “get acquainted” orientation session on Sept. 27 welcomed 15 mentors and 25 students ready to be mentored. Refreshments and icebreaker games provided an opportunity for the mentors and students to connect in a friendly and warm Glendon setting in the Café de la Terrasse.


“The energy in the room was palpable,” said Lewin. “Mentors and mentees participated in animated discussion about the merits of the program and the results they were hoping to achieve. Everyone felt that this was an important step for Glendon and they were delighted to be the first participants.”


The foundations for the Glendon Alumni Mentorship program were laid by the Glendon Alumni Executive Committee in 2004, under the leadership of then Chair Marika Kemeny. The current working committee developing the program consists of Lewin, third-year student Karen Murray, 2005 Glendon grad Cristina Raimondo and Vanessa Lewin (BA ’96).