First in Family Mentoring Program continues to thrive Connecting ambitious students with experienced industry mentors
Written by Marsha Elimelakh and Karen Ho
A long table runs through the outdoor courtyard at the Duck Inn in Chippendale as the sun slowly descends on a late November evening. As everyone arrives, they greet each other with a combined sense of nervousness and familiarity. The night is the graduation event for the 2020 First in Family Mentoring Program and it is the first time some attendees are meeting in person. In light of COVID-19, the First in Family Mentoring Program continued to be a tremendously beneficial experience for both mentors and mentees in 2020. The School of Economics launched the first run of the First in Family Mentoring Program in 2018, partnering Economics alumni with students who were first in their family to attend university. Two years later, the mentoring program has continued to thrive with another 16 students successfully completing the program.
The overall aim of the First in Family Mentoring Program is to offer students in the penultimate or final year of their degree the opportunity to access a mentor for support and guidance. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience amongst the alumni of the School of Economics. By connecting our students with mentors throughout their studies, the School of Economics provides them with a unique opportunity to be inspired and to learn from the experiences and knowledge of our graduates. As mentee, Xavier Smaill said, “The time spent talking with Rob [Montgomery] has significantly helped me develop an understanding of post-university life. With my main goal being to find where I want to end up, the program significantly helped myself in narrowing that down.” First in family students quite often experience isolation while at university, especially when finding direction in 44
