Lincoln College celebrates continued growth and success of eMentoring scheme, May 2014.
After a successful launch with Lincoln college in 2013, the e-Mentoring scheme has continued to grow in strength and popularity. Lincoln now has 164 mentors, and requests are sent and accepted via the Aluminate platform regularly. Following last year’s successful launch event, Lincoln college hosted another reception in May 2014 to celebrate and further promote the scheme to its current students.
Lincoln students were joined by experienced Lincoln mentors (including a consultant physician, a barrister and a journalist) to share career advice and insights into the world of work. The reception not only gave students and mentors a chance to consider specific career advice, but also to examine the benefits of Aluminati’s eMentoring system, and its role in the professional development of Lincoln Alumni. One of the main features of the Lincoln Online directory is that it not only hosts the eMentoring platform, but also acts as a highl trust private networking site, which allows students and alumni, using the alumni maps feature, to locate Lincolnites across the word.
There was also a opportunity for Daniel Watts (Managing Director, and Lincoln alumnus) to give a presentation to fellow Lincolnites on the use of the platform, and to promote Aluminiati’s values regarding the strength of alumni relationships. This presentation was extremely successful and gave mentors and students a further perspective into the Aluminati system: ‘Daniel showed everyone how straightforward it is to register with the system and how an online mentoring relationship is easily conducted via the platform.’ (Lincoln Events Report, 2014).
Daniel was delighted to return to his Alma Mater, and to see the tangible success of the programme, commenting ‘It is hugely motivating to see the enthusiasm shown by both mentors and students at the drinks reception. The students asksed very penetrating questions, and seemed very switched on about the realities and importance of researching career options, and building a body of experience that is beyond just academic achievement.’
With over 160 mentors, the Lincoln eMentoring scheme has gone from strength to strength, and supported countless students in their own professional development. One particular student mentee is Coral Byles (Chemistry, 2011), who was connected through Aluminate eMentoring with mentor Darren Marshall (PPE, 1984).
Coral describes the system as ‘a great starting point to put me in contact with Darren. Having filters that organised my search via ‘industry experience’ or ‘offered service’ was particularly convenient. Some of the profiles were very detailed which was also really useful.’ Coral also comments on how the platform opens up mentee expectations for their own career development: ‘I feel that the directory is particularly useful in enabling students to explore interesting career choices outside the remit of traditional ‘milkround’ placements that seem to saturate many other career resources’.
Coral’s experience shows how the Aluminate eMentoring platform is a means of opening up a world of opportunity for students.
It not only provides an efficient and friendly system to promote Alumni-Alumni relations, but also opens up students’ own professional horizons, by adding ‘a refreshing sense of perspective in reminding them that their initial career choice is only a starting point.’
