This mentee-led mentorship program is an opportunity for current students and recent graduates to gain insight and guidance from alumni mentors to enrich their academic and career journeys.

This program is delivered in partnership between Alumni Relations and External Engagement and Career Services.

USask Alumni involvement can either be as a mentor (alumni with 5+ years of employment experience) or as a mentee (new alumni who have graduated within the last 5 years).

Volunteer with USask Connects

USask Connects is looking for alumni with 5+ years of career experience to volunteer as mentors. New alumni (2018-2023 graduates) are also welcome to apply to participate as mentees in this program.

The program runs for 8-10 weeks each semester, during which the time commitment is about 6-8 hours total.

This includes four “connects,” one-hour one-on-one meetings with your mentee/mentor and related activities. We welcome alumni across industries and professions.

We accept mentor applications on an ongoing basis and love to connect as many students and recent graduates as possible with this mentorship opportunity.

2024 Program dates are as follows:

January-March 2024
April-June 2024
September-November 2024

If you are interested in participating, click below to apply to become a mentor or apply to be a mentee.

If you have any questions or want to receive information about future volunteer and student mentorship opportunities, email usask.connects@usask.ca.

Mentor and Mentee Selection Process

Interested alumni mentors with five or more years of career experience will have an information interview with USask Connects program leads to identify their career path, career values, professional experiences, and other areas of interest.

Student and/or recent graduate mentees will be matched one-on-one with alumni mentors based on mutual interests and experiences as well as goal orientation, career path, career values, and education journeys.

Alumni who have graduated within the past 5 years and current undergraduate students.

Prospective mentees will complete a competitive internal application process and, if selected, attend a mandatory orientation session.

How the Program Works

Alumni and students and/or recent graduates will be selected and matched one-on-one with alumni mentors. The matches will have four 1-hour individual meetings called "Connects".

Resources and meeting structure examples will be shared with alumni mentors and student mentees for each meeting. Meetings will be held virtually as alumni and/or students could be situated throughout Canada or internationally. Virtual platform recommendations will be provided. 

Once mentor and mentee have had their four meetings, all participants will submit a final reflection on the program and their experience.

If you are interested in being a mentor, please email usask.connects@usask.ca.

Program Outcomes

Enrich the academic and career journeys of USask students and recent graduates
Gain volunteer experience and create a deeper connection with USask and your alma-mater
Improve your leadership, coaching, and professional skills by mentoring current students and recent graduates
Meet and network with valuable contacts within the post-secondary world
Share your personal career experience and impart knowledge
Reflect on personal development and growth

Gain practical networking and leadership skills through a mentee-lead approach to mentorship
Establish and/or grow your professional network
Gain an understanding about your preferred/potential industry
Opportunity to reflect and grow in a safe environment
Gain insights about different career paths and work histories of those in the industry
Receive critical feedback in key areas related to professional skills and career planning
Develop a sharper focus on what is needed to grow professionally and advance your career
Add value to your USask experience and gain CCR recognition
All student mentees who successfully complete the USask Connects Program will be considered for a monetary Recognition Award.

Get involved

If you are interested in applying as a mentor to USask Connects, please email usask.connects@usask.ca.

USask Connects is an RBC Future Launch and University of Saskatchewan initiative with University Relations and Career Services.

Alumni mentor testimonials

The USask Connects mentorship program was a wonderful experience all around. It was very well-organized and respectful of my time. But most importantly, being a mentor is this amazing combination of sharing the things you've learned so far in your career and experiencing the passion and perspective of someone just starting to plan theirs. You come away feeling valued and energized and reconnected to your younger self. It's truly a win-win.

- Laura Turner (BComm '92 MBA '97)

The USASK Connects program provides a valuable opportunity for the students to take a look at themselves and examine their existing 'tool kit' to then categorize areas of interest, strengths/weaknesses, and some challenges they are facing. Since I work in Higher Education, it is an occupational requirement to be helping and advising learners. However, the mentoring role in this program allowed me to reflect more deeply in our exchanges on some of my specific experiences and really enjoy retelling (and hopefully relating) 'my stories' in a relevant way - a mutually beneficial win-win!

- Greg Rouault (B. Comm, 1994)