The Alumni-Student Mentoring Program is back!

After an 18-month break, the famous HEC Alumni-Student Mentoring Program will be relaunched in March 2025 with a few changes and improvements.

The importance of this program

The values associated with this program are at the very heart of our Association's mission. Creating links, enabling HEC students to benefit from the strength of this unique network, providing them with practical support before they embark in the ‘real life’, sharing experience, expertise and advice... always with a caring approach thanks to committed, volunteerly engaged Alumni Mentors who want to contribute to the success of the young and to the reputation of our beloved HEC Faculty.

A time for reflection

Taking a step back was necessary in order to rethink this Program to improve it and make it more attractive, particularly to students who did not understand the gift that was being offered to them. 
In our last article on the subject, we transparently shared the feedback given by the Mentors and Mentees of the 2021-2022 edition and announced that the 2022-2023 edition would take into account the following points raised:

● Better allocation of Mentor-Mentee pairs
● Better assurance of the commitment and interest of Mentees

The peer creation process had been changed: Graduates wishing to become Mentors created their Mentor profiles on our platform. Students, based on areas of expertise, business sectors and language, chose the Mentor who matched their needs or expectations. It was up to the student to contact the Mentor, introducing themselves and motivating their request. The Graduate could accept or refuse.
The advantage was clearly that the Graduate and the student chose each other and the student showed his commitment from the outset.
The disadvantage we discovered was that students did not show the same enthusiasm for the program as they now had to take the lead.

We found ourselves in the unfortunate situation of having more volunteer Mentors than students...

Our questioning

Given the time it takes to organise such a program and the limited resources available at the Alumni Office, the question arose: ‘Should we stop everything?" 

Obviously the answer was NO!

So what should we do?

After a great deal of thought and discussion with some Mentors, Faculty and students, we came up with a new Mentoring Program to be launched in March 2025.

The revised Mentoring Program

What will change

• The time of year: The program will start in March and officially end in early November to coincide with the HEC Career Networking Fair. This change will enable us to provide better support to first-year Master's students in their search for end-of-study internships, enable us to align ourselves more closely with the initiatives of the HEC Career Center and extend communication about the program to students throughout the first semester.
• HEC's involvement and support: This mentoring program is in line with the strategic objectives that the Dean and the Dean's Office have set, giving us greater visibility and support within the Faculty. The Directors of the Management and Finance departments have clearly understood the added value of our program and will promote it to their students during classes. The other departments should follow. The HEC Career Center will help to promote our program and take part in the get-together we organize. This program will not be ‘just’ a side initiative, but will be integrated into the career activities offered to HEC Master's students.
• Opening up the program to recent graduates: Graduates who have completed their Masters in the last 3 years will also be able to benefit from the program as Mentees. Indeed, some recent graduates who have completed their studies and carried out their first internships could greatly benefit from a Mentor to help them find their way.
• The kick-off: the kick-off evening will no longer be devoted to making initial contact within pairs who have already been formed, but will be an opportunity to meet more people. As well as an explanation of the benefits and rules of the Program and a presentation of the Career Center's services, sector/trade-specific tables will give students the opportunity to get to know and talk to Alumni in a less formal (and therefore less intimidating for some) way, motivating them to take the first step and ‘find’ a Mentor on the platform. 

What will not change

• The aim of the Mentoring Program: ‘To offer a student or recent graduate support in preparing for their professional future or a project, by giving them the benefit of the experience of an HEC Graduate who studied at the same Faculty.’
• Format: At least one meeting or exchange per month. The program is defined with the Mentee and depends on the Mentor's availability. There is no need to be in Switzerland or to meet in person: everything can be done by video conference (Skype, Zoom, etc.).
• The pairing process: Graduates will create or reactivate their Mentor profile on the Alumni platform and students will make their choice according to their needs or wishes. 

We need you Alumni to become a Mentor!

You are key to the success of this Program relaunch! Join the Mentoring game by giving a little of your time. Offer your advice, share your experiences, give leads and recommendations. It's a unique relationship and a gift you're giving to a young HEC student or Graduate.

So sign up now!

We thank you in advance!

Laetitia Fatio

Director

To make this document easier to read, the masculine gender has been used. It goes without saying that all genders apply everywhere and at all times.