Impact of Mentorship Program: Mentorship Program Makes Big Impacts on Students From All Disciplines

NC State’s Entrepreneurship Mentorship Program is designed to bridge the gap between aspiring entrepreneurs and experienced mentors, creating a space for learning, growth and real-world success. Whether you’re starting a business, checking out career options or looking to define and pursue success in your life, the Mentorship Program provides a space for you. 

What is the Mentorship Program? 

The Mentorship Program focuses on connecting students with experienced mentors to help them navigate professional and entrepreneurial challenges they may be facing. An easy-to-use mentorship request portal allows students to request guidance from industry professionals and entrepreneurs, or a general consult with an NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship staff member. In doing so, students get one-on-one guidance from industry professionals, invitations to exclusive events and a monthly newsletter. Mentors get to share experiences and support with emerging entrepreneurs, participate in student networking events and volunteer their time to foster the next generation of entrepreneurs. 

“The NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship Mentorship Program creates meaningful connections by pairing students and student founders with experienced mentors. Founders gain valuable guidance and perspective, while mentors have the opportunity to give back and support the next generation of entrepreneurs,” said Josh Guter, Entrepreneurship Clinic program manager.

Events 

The Mentorship Program also features mentorship meetups, where students and mentors gather to share recent updates and network. The events are hosted by Innovation and Entrepreneurship around Raleigh. Previous meetups have been hosted at local businesses like Pendo, Raleigh Founded, Carimus and RevGen, as well as campus locations, like the Albright Entrepreneurship Garage. 

During meetups, students and mentors are encouraged to mingle at the beginning and end of the event, with a structured icebreaker in the middle. In the past, there have been speed dating style interviews, trivia competitions and even bingo to name a few! Meetups are also catered by local Raleigh restaurants. 

Impacts 

The Mentorship Program has impacted generations of NC State students, alumni and staff. 

Students shared how the Mentorship Program has impacted their personal and professional lives. 

“It was great when I was just there to listen to everyone else’s experiences in entrepreneurship, and when I was working through my own venture plans. I think attending the mentorship meetups are the greatest way to feel immersed in the entrepreneurship and innovation communities of NC State. I love being able to hear from people who’ve just started their careers, are a few decades into it, or are completely retired and just looking for like-minded people to have conversations with. A lot of feedback I hear about mentorship meetups is from seniors who wished they had started attending sooner.”

 – Malcolm Albergo-Radisch, Biomedical Engineering Major, Graduating Spring 2027

“I believe that the Mentorship Meetups have helped me learn how to communicate my ideas to others in ways that anyone can understand. Listening to mentors and fellow students with unique perspectives helps me reach my own conclusions about where I should go with my business or life in general.
 – Gabriel Huntsman, Business Finance Major, Science Communication Minor, Graduating Fall 2025 

“The Mentorship Program helped me become connected within the entrepreneurship community at NC State and made me feel welcome at every event I attended. Connecting with accomplished mentors, young alumni, entrepreneurship program staff, and even other students provided invaluable connections that shaped the rest of my undergraduate career. You can tell how passionate the organizers are in every event, and how hard they are working to help student entrepreneurs at NC State succeed.” 
–Eli Edds, Computer Science Major, Business Entrepreneurship Minor, Graduated Spring 2025

And when we asked one of our mentors about their thoughts on the program, there was an equal impact on their end! 

“I continue to learn each time I attend a Mentorship Program event at NC State.  The environment is a perfect way for both students and mentors to meet and share insights and ideas and help each other grow.” 
– Bill Rollinson, Business Counselor at NC SBTDC

All in all, the mentees and mentors in the Mentorship Program make up a valuable part of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship community. As students and mentors continue to be connected, we look forward to another semester of growth and opportunity. 

Get Involved Now

For Students 

Want to become a mentee? Check out the Mentorship website and submit a request for a mentor. If you’re not sure what kind of guidance you are looking for, you can request a general consultation to chat with a NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship staff member so they can help you set some goals for professional or entrepreneurial growth. 

For Future Mentors 

Want to become a mentor? Check out the Mentorship website and submit a mentor application. We would love to hear from you. 

This post was originally published in Entrepreneurship News.