The program enlists Elon alumni who mentor and advise students as they prepare for internships, careers and post-graduation life.
Through a mentorship initiative started in spring 2018, the School of Communications provides opportunities for students to build relationships with alumni who offer advice and guidance for their time at Elon and beyond.
The program connects juniors with Elon alumni who facilitate learning and growth as students prepare for internships, careers and other challenges they face after graduation, said Ross Wade, senior associate director of career services for the School of Communications. Wade oversees the program with Colin Donohue, director of the School of Communications student engagement and alumni affairs.
“We do this to increase engagement with our alumni, and also to help students develop professionally through these kinds of one-on-one, mentorship relationships,” Wade said.
According to Wade, students are nominated by faculty, and invited student participants attend an informational session to discuss the structure of the yearlong program. With alumni across the country, most mentorships are handled remotely and involve an action list, or a compilation of items, students hope to learn or accomplish with their mentors.
“We’ve had students get internships from these mentor relationships,” Wade said. “There’s been a lot of really positive outcomes.”
For Joe Bruno ‘14, a government and breaking news reporter at WSOC-TV in Charlotte, the mentorship program provided an opportunity for him to continue to assist students interested in journalism, something he started doing as an upperclassman on campus.
“Even while at Elon, I always enjoyed working with people younger than me who were interested in journalism,” Bruno said.
Bruno serves as a mentor for junior Brian Rea, who is interested in the broadcast journalism industry. The “Elon Local News” anchor said the experience getting to communicate regularly with Bruno has been reassuring, especially when it comes to topics like careers and jobs.
“It’s nice to get to know Joe because he left a really strong legacy at Elon,” Rea said. “Alumni are such a great resource and they can help you get connected beyond just being connected with them, which is really awesome.”
Bruno said his favorite aspect of the program so far has been watching Rea grow and mature. And Bruno’s biggest piece of advice is to get involved – even during the time students are away from campus due to COVID-19.
“Elon has so many great opportunities for students interested in all forms of media,” Bruno said. “While the COVID-19 pandemic will present some challenges, look for ways to keep your skills sharp. Don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni. We are here to help.”
Mary Buzby, a communications design and journalism double major, said the mentorship program was an opportunity she could not pass up. Even while studying abroad, Buzby said her mentor, Lucas Lovett ‘12, kept in contact with her, finding resources to keep her up with the industry and refine her Adobe CC skills. Since Buzby has returned stateside, Lovett has served as an extra set of eyes on projects and a guide in Buzby’s internship search.
For Lovett, a video editor and motion graphics designer at Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the mentorship program has been a great way for him to give back to the Elon community.
“I want to maintain that any mentorship program is mentee driven,” Lovett said. “I have really enjoyed providing my mentee some industry tools and information to help open up some of the goals we set earlier in the process. She has really taken a lot of these tools to heart and it shows in her work.”
Since communication design is the field Buzby is most passionate about, having a mentor who understands what she is going through has been immensely helpful, she said.
“Having to balance classes, extracurriculars and side projects can be really overwhelming, but having someone who’s been through four years of Elon and was working toward what I am, has achieved it, and is rooting for me … is really reassuring,” Buzby said. “I feel like they can guide me in a more personal way because they had to meet all the same graduation requirements that I’m facing now.”