During the first half of the Fall semester, MBV students are given the opportunity to “opt-in” to the mentoring program. Members of the executive partners, at the same time, are given the opportunity to volunteer to be mentors. Once the final roster of potential mentees and mentors is set, the MBV Staff and leadership of the Executive Partners and Mentoring Program painstakingly match each mentor and mentee in an effort to create the best possible matches to both support the student and engage the mentor. Mentors and mentees are then introduced at the annual Fall luncheon, usually held during the latter half of September.

While the Executive Director of the MBV Mentoring Program provides a framework and baseline expectations for mentors and mentees, the nature of the mentoring relationship from that point on is defined by each individual mentor and mentee. Students will meet with their paired mentor regularly throughout the year, and the mentor will help their paired mentee in whatever areas of need are identified through their discussions. 

Mentoring can provide clarity and guidance for a student, helping them navigate the challenges of career transition and growth, and giving them clear goals and action items to strive for. Mentoring can also unlock larger networks and open doors that the mentee may not have even known existed. In short, mentoring can light a path to success, allowing the mentee to avoid wrong turns and obstacles.