Connecting students and alumni to inspire the next generation of bold engineers.
Baskin Engineering Mentor Network
The Baskin Engineering Mentor Network helps students navigate their paths to careers by linking 3rd and 4th year students with alumni. Students are paired with an alum who understands their experience and is invested in their success — a person ready to listen, inspire, help navigate challenges, and recognize opportunities.
Students will learn what to expect in their final years of school, how to approach challenges, gain career advice, and other valuable insights. Mentors will find reward in paying it forward, and strengthen their leadership and professional skills. Mentor Collective’s online platform provides training and resources for mentors and makes it easy for mentors and mentees to connect.
First and second year students: UCSC offers a peer mentoring program, also using the Mentor Collective platform.
How it works
Students will be matched with an alum based on common interests, shared experiences, academics, and professional aspirations. To get started, students and mentors register and complete an online survey to describe their interests and experiences. Once you are matched with your mentee(s), you both decide how and how often you want to connect.
Program expectations
Mentors and mentees are encouraged to communicate at least 2–4 times per month, although pairs can communicate more or less frequently depending on individual preferences. Pairs can communicate in person, via text, Zoom, Slack, and/or phone. All participants are given anonymous phone numbers for communication.
Why have a mentor?
A mentor can help you:
- Develop and grow your professional network
- Meet new people and make lifelong connections with peers, faculty, and staff
- Get involved in campus life and activities
- Adjust to university-level academic expectations
- Create a plan for academic, social, and career success
- Explore professional options related to your interests and studies
- Balance the demands of academics, personal responsibilities and social life
Areas of support
Mentorship can offer:
- Guidance in your transition from college to career
- Connection through shared interests, hobbies and experiences
- Regular check-ins via meetings or video chats
- Support in exploring career paths
- Encouragement to set and achieve personal and professional goals
- and more!
Explore the UCSC Slug Mentor Collective
Testimonials
“I’m really excited to have someone there for me. It’s nice knowing that I’m not completely alone and hopefully can be someone I can reach out to if I’m having a hard time in school or other activities.”
“[My mentor] helped me answer the question of how to form strong relationships with my professors by giving me an actionable strategy to having strong purposeful visits to their office hours.”
“I’m volunteering to mentor because I’ve been fortunate enough to have mentors who guided me throughout my academic and professional careers & I feel like I am finally able to give back.”
Once a Baskin Engineer, always a Baskin Engineer!
Your journey with Baskin Engineering doesn’t end at graduation. As an alum, you’re part of a lifelong community of innovators. Stay connected and explore the latest news, groundbreaking research, student stories, leadership communication, and more!