Hamline’s Way of Giving Back

WENDY B. PHOTOGRAPHY

Commencement. e word conjures images of caps and gowns, feelings of relief and excitement, and an overwhelming sense of personal accomplishment. It also signifies a new chapter in a graduate’s life: the beginning of their professional career and— for many—their first experience with full-time employment.

As students work to get the most out of their courses and excel academically, some postgraduation practicalities, such as how to effectively navigate the job market, may fall by the wayside. Seeing this need, Hamline School of Business launched a mentor program in 2017 to ensure students get the most out of their education after they leave campus.

e Career Mentor Program (CMP) enhances the great education Hamline students receive with valuable, realworld knowledge and guidance provided by experienced mentors. As a result, more than 80% land a job in their desired field after they graduate. e impact of a mentorship is visible beyond statistics, too.

As the first cohort of mentored students graduated in 2020, they felt the desire to give back by developing an alumni branch of the program.

e alumni now host events for current students, where they do a bit of mentoring themselves by answering questions and concerns about entering and succeeding in the contemporary workplace. “We’ve had students

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BY TOM BRANDES MALS ’93