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Poole College of Management
Poole College of Management
Undergraduate Programs

ELEVATE Mentorship Program

Elevate your career journey by learning directly from accomplished executives and alumni.

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About the Program

The Elevate Career Mentorship Program focuses on elevating the future careers of our business students by connecting them with accomplished executives and alumni who provide one-on-one mentorship. Students gain career clarity, confidence, and direction through meaningful relationships with mentors who provide guidance, feedback, and exposure to real-world experiences.

Students

To participate in the 2026-27 ELEVATE Mentorship Program, apply by Sept. 12.

Submit a student application

Mentee Eligibility:

  • Mentees are motivated Poole College of Management students—including undergraduate business majors (Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors) and Jenkins Graduate students (Full-Time MBA, Online MBA, MRA, and MMA)—who are looking to launch or transition their careers. International students are warmly welcomed!
  • Mentees should be eager to explore career paths, build professional skills, and connect one-on-one with an experienced industry professional. To participate, students must apply, actively engage throughout the academic year, and bring a strong willingness to learn, apply constructive feedback, and reflect on their growth. (Note: There is no GPA requirement to apply.)

Participant Responsibilities

  • Time commitment: Minimum 2 hours per month (1hr. monthly group meeting featuring mentor speakers + 1hr. mentor/mentee meeting on your own schedule).
  • Connect: Maintain regular communication with your mentor via email, in-person or virtually to seek guidance, feedback and support.
  • Explore: Work with your mentor to set and refine your career goals, developing a plan to achieve these objectives by the end of the program.
  • Engage: Prepare for and participate in activities such as mock interviews, job shadowing, and career exploration.
  • Expand: Broaden your professional network with mentors and their respective corporate connections.
  • Reflection: Critically reflect on your learning and growth throughout the program, identifying key insights, challenges and personal development areas.

Student Outcomes:

  • 91% felt more confident networking with professionals
  • 87% agreed their mentor provided valuable workforce guidance
  • 85% gained clearer understanding of industries/career paths
  • 81% felt better prepared to transition into the workforce
  • 78% expanded their professional network by 2+ industry professionals

Student Testimonials:

Mentor Frank Margolis (left) with mentee Caleb Oakley.
  • “I was able to visit Toshiba for a job shadow with my mentor, and it was one of my favorite things since joining the business school. It provided me with a lot of insight in terms of skills I will need within the workforce, as well as how important company culture and being comfortable at your job is.” – Anna Czarkowski
  • “My mentor, Frank Margolis with Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, allowed me and another mentee to visit his job site and shadow him for an entire day. We were able to see the work he performs, network with other professionals, and explore his career field. This experience made me realize I am heavily interested in what he does and what I want to do for my future career.” – Caleb Oakley
  • “One of the most valuable pieces of wisdom I’ve gained from this program is the importance of being intentional with my next steps.” – Parker Henson

Elevating Success

Junior accounting major Conor Perry gained career direction, confidence and key professional skills through Poole College’s ELEVATE Mentorship Program with CFO mentor Jason Cash. The experience provided practical guidance in career planning, communication and networking.

Learn More About Conor’s Mentorship

Mentors

Benefits of Mentoring:

  • Shape the future of business talent and recruit top prospects for your company
  • Elevate your leadership skills in just two hours a month
  • Expand your network by connecting with fellow mentors

Mentor Eligibility:

  • Mentors are experienced professionals, executives, and alumni with 5+ years of industry experience—ideally at a management level or higher—who serve as strong connectors to the broader business world. Passionate about guiding Poole College students, mentors share strategic advice, industry insights, and real-world perspective. We ask our mentors to dedicate a minimum of 2 hours per month to connect, provide constructive feedback, and support student growth throughout the academic year.

Mentor Expectations

  • Time Commitment: Minimum 2 hours per month (1hr. monthly group meeting + 1hr. mentor/mentee meeting on your own schedule).
  • Connect: Build authentic, trust-based relationships with your student via in-person, virtually or hybrid.
  • Explore: Share diverse career paths and your real-world experiences.
  • Engage: Support career readiness through resume reviews, interviews and goal setting.
  • Expand: Help students grow their professional networks and confidence .
  • Reflect: Provide feedback that builds resilience and career clarity.

Your mentorship can transform a student’s path from uncertainty to confidence.

Link to Mentorship Application

Mentor Testimonials:

  • “My mentee and I have had the opportunity to connect on a variety of topics (resume reviews, value exercises, career coaching). In general, this is a great program to allow students to gain perspective outside of the university and make connections they may not have otherwise!” – Joe Rozsa, Red Hat 
  • “I brought one of my mentees onsite to my workplace and provided an overview of the field of cybersecurity and walked her around the office. It was great to hear her thoughts and address questions that she had about the industry. She is highly ambitious and has great social instincts.” – Hannah DeWane, Varonis
2025 Mentorship Luncheon