Mentor Network Guidelines
Mentors consist of Purchase Alumni, Broadview Mentors, and other Professionals who may initiate informal and voluntary communications with students and recent alumni. By registering for the Mentor Network, mentors can make a difference in a student’s career exploration and decision-making by providing needed information and professional insight.
- The Firsthand/Vault Mentor Networking platform offers Purchase students/recent alumni (mentees) an opportunity to connect with experienced professionals (mentors) in meaningful ways with the goal of career exploration and network building.
- The Mentor Network provides an opportunity for Purchase student/recent alumni mentees to learn about their expressed career interests while learning and practicing professional networking skills.
- Mentors share personal and professional experience and may serve as a bridge to professionals and resources as appropriate.
- To give students a peek into professions as they explore their career interests, gain career help, and learn strategies for exploring fields; all while building their networks with Purchase alumni and other professionals.
- To connect students with alumni and/or other experienced professionals from diverse backgrounds to book initial one-on-one career consultations. Subsequent mentor/mentee engagement activities may be arranged independent of the mentor network.
- Students register and then search, select, and connect with mentors.
- Once registered, mentees and mentors can communicate through direct messaging and consultations through the Firsthand system and participate in mentoring activities. Following their initial interaction, Mentors and Mentees may also communicate in the manner in which they agree upon.
- Broadview Mentors attend in-person or virtual training as required and appropriate before their initial meetings with students. Mentors will participate in training including DEI, Sexual Harassment prevention, Mental Health, Campus Resources, Ethics, and more.
- Mentors should feel free to refer students to campus resources as needed and appropriate including: Career Development, Counseling, Advising, or other Purchase College Department.
- Once the Firsthand Mentor Network platform suggests matches for student mentees with mentors, it is the student’s responsibility to reach out to the mentor to arrange an initial discussion.
- After the initial connection through Firsthand, mentoring discussions can range from an email, virtual meeting, phone contact, informational interview, in-person meetings, group meetings, and/or a shadowing/day-on-the-job experience.
- The amount of time the mentor contributes is at their discretion and scheduling must be mutually agreed upon between the mentee(s) and mentor(s).
- The mentor/mentee relationship can be ended at any time for any reason by either the mentee or mentor.
- Information sharing about a mentor’s current or past profession, industry, and work environment.
- Offering insight on preparation for entering a specific field including enhancing skills and knowledge, academic or other.
- Establishing a professional network.
- Participating in a day on the job if available and in mutual agreement.
- Assisting with additional career planning.
- The First-Hand Mentor network is a platform brought to mentees and mentors by the Career Development Center and the Office of Alumni Engagement as an educational resource and service for students and recent alumni career exploration; used for informational and networking purposes only.
- As mentees and mentors engage with each other voluntarily, it should be noted that activities and interactions resulting from Mentor-Mentee engagement that may be offered by mentors are not screened, vetted, nor managed by the College in any way, and may involve external entities that are not managed by the College.
- Neither Purchase College nor the Career Development Center/Office of Alumni Engagement screens, evaluates or vets mentors in any way.
- Mentors do not have any formal or legal relationship with the College, do not have the status of employees, contractors, volunteers, agents or representatives of the College, and their role and activities as mentors are personal to them and are not performed for or on behalf of the College.
- The College accordingly assumes no responsibilities or liabilities in connection with the actions of the mentors, including any actions taken as a result of the information exchanged or any subsequent individual or group activities planned or using this platform.
- Mentors agree to serve as an educational resource regarding their personal experiences within the career fields. Participants of the Mentor Network do so at their discretion and the information provided to mentees should not be interpreted as a substitute for the use of independent judgment.
- Purchase College Career Development does not actively monitor the conversations that take place between mentors and mentees and is not responsible for the exchange or use of the information that takes place.