Mentorship
Why mentorship?
Mentorship allows Cooke Scholars and Alumni to form and build professional relationships through ongoing supportive interactions. Mentoring relationships help expand knowledge through learning from each other, discussing contemporary topics across industries, and identifying strengths and areas of improvement related to professional development.
Periodically, we have fun and engaging mentorship initiatives including the Career Pathways Connections and other mentoring sessions with companies. If your company or organization would like to partner with us to host mentoring sessions for Cooke Scholars and Alums, please email us at alumni@jkcf.org.
How to find a mentor or mentee?
To find a mentor or mentee, check out the Cooke Connect - the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s official networking platform for Cooke Scholars and Alumni. Cooke Connect allows you to both re-connect with fellow scholars as well as enabling you to utilize the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation community to expand your professional network.
If you need support getting introduced to a scholar or alum, complete the Connect with an Alum survey or send an e-mail to alumni@jkcf.org with a description of your professional interests and our alumni department will help you get connected! Don’t know what to write to introduce yourself to a potential connection? We've got you covered - check out this example to help you craft your introductory message!
I’m connected with a mentor/mentee - now what?
Once you’ve made a connection, schedule a time for a virtual chat to talk about your shared professional interests. These conversations may include industry related topics, networking guidance, and career planning. Want some ideas on what to discuss with your connection? Below are a few conversation guides that you can use to support your meeting.