The Mentorship Programme for students and alumni kicks off
The kick-off for the new mentorship programme for students and alumni at KI was held on 7 October. A total of 20 pairs have been matched and will meet for conversations and to share experiences over the next seven months.
During a dinner at the KI restaurant Svarta Räfven, the mentoring pairs had the opportunity to meet for the first time and get to know each other. During the evening, project managers Sara Gunningberg and Caroline Larsson Ekström talked about the programme structure and how they will support participants during the programme.
The hope is that the mentorship programme will give both students and alumni new perspectives and valuable contacts.
“We hope the students gain new perspectives and the opportunity to reflect on their future careers, while the alumni have closer contact with today’s KI students and gain insight into their thoughts. Hopefully, the relationship can also help expand the networks of both the student and the alumnus or alumna,” says Sara Gunningberg.
First meeting between students and alumni
One of the pairs is psychology student Jasmina Kochanowicz and KI alumna Felicia Stålhand. For Jasmina, the match turned out to have an unexpected connection to the past.
“When I was considering applying to KI, I followed Felicia through the student blog, where she wrote about her experiences from the psychology programme. Her stories made a strong impression on me and helped inspire me to apply for the programme myself. So I was both surprised and happy when, several years later, we were matched in the mentorship programme. It feels a bit like coming full circle,” says Jasmina Kochanowicz.
One pair who already knew of each other is Anna Gauffin, who is studying on the nursing programme, and Anna Slettmyr, who teaches on the programme. Among other things, they share an interest in ethics, a subject that Anna Slettmyr also teaches.
“Now it is mainly about getting started, scheduling the first conversation and daring to ask questions. The mentoring does not need to follow a set plan. What matters is being curious about each other’s experiences and letting the conversations develop as they go,” says Caroline Larsson Ekström.
Next steps in the programme
The next step for the pairs is to set their own times for conversations during the seven months the programme runs. The project leaders are available for support and guidance, and have also produced a guide with conversation methods and tips along the way. The mentorship programme concludes in April with a joint meeting.