Alumni-Student Mentor Program

Being a mentor can be a benefit both professionally and personally. Participating in this program can help to:

• Strengthen ties with the SVM community
• Engage and shape the future of the veterinary medical workforce in an informal yet rewarding way
• Stay up to date on the changing interests and concerns of current DVM students, which can help to gain new perspectives and inform other areas of work
• Enhance professional identity

As a Mentor, we would expect alumni to:

• Attend ONE of the two virtual orientation meetings in October 2025 with your mentor/mentee to review the program timeline and expectations and meet other program participants
• Commit to contacting your mentor/mentee on a regular basis (about 1-2x per month) between October-April
• Contact the Outreach and Community Engagement Coordinator (Richard Barajas) as soon as possible if you have not made contact with your mentor/mentee for some time or if you are no longer participating in the program so that arrangements can be made to connect people on the waitlist
• Regardless of your level of activity in the program, complete a short online survey (Feb-March 2026) to share your experience and feedback
• Attend the Wrap-Up Social in April 2026
• Be respectful, committed, and open-minded!

• Alumni can apply to be mentors via the online application. If selected, they will be matched with one mentee (a current 2^nd–, 3^rd-, or 4^th–year DVM student).
  • Link for the Alumni (Mentor) Application: https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6Du21dw1ITpdZv8
• Alumni located outside of the Madison metro area are more than welcome to apply for the program.
• Staff will assign students to their mentors according to shared goals and preferred criteria. Staff will make the best effort to pair alumni/students based on those preferences, but recognize that the ability to do so depends on the applicant pools. We believe the success of this program does not require “perfect” matches.
• This is a voluntary, selective program for those SVM students and alumni who apply. Space is limited and participation is not guaranteed.
• All applicants will be contacted in mid-August 2025 with their status. Once matches are made, the Outreach and Community Engagement Coordinator will connect each of them via email.

Participating in this program as a Mentee can help students to:

• Expand their network by connecting with seasoned veterinary medical professionals and foster long-lasting relationships
• Get exposure to various veterinary medicine professions and career pathways
• Prepare for the future – building leadership, communication skills, and more that will all be instrumental in both your education and career in veterinary medicine

As a Mentee, we would expect students to:

• Attend ONE of the two virtual orientation meetings in October 2025 with your mentor/mentee to review the program timeline and expectations and meet other program participants
• Commit to contacting your mentor/mentee on a regular basis (about 1-2x per month) between October-April
• Contact the Outreach and Community Engagement Coordinator (Richard Barajas) as soon as possible if you have not made contact with your mentor/mentee for some time or if you are no longer participating in the program so that arrangements can be made to connect people on the waitlist
• Regardless of your level of activity in the program, complete a short online survey (Feb-March 2026) to share your experience and feedback
• Attend the Wrap-Up Social in April 2026
• Be respectful, committed, and open-minded!

• VM2 , VM3 & VM4 students can apply to participate in the program via the online application. If selected, they will be matched over the summer with a mentor (an SVM alum).
  • Link for the Student Application: https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5uwNBt4qjOe2JOC
• Staff will assign students to their mentors according to similarities in career history and interests. In the application, students will be asked to indicate which criteria are most important to them. We utilize both alumni and student applications to carefully determine assignments. Considering the number of applications we receive, we cannot guarantee that every match will have identical interests.
• This is a voluntary, selective program for those SVM students and alumni who apply. Space is limited and participation is not guaranteed.
  • • Student applicants will be contacted the week of July 21, 2025, with an update on the mentor selection process. A response is required when you are contacted in order to proceed with the program.
• All applicants will be contacted in August 2025 with their status. Once matches are made, the Outreach and Community Engagement Coordinator will connect each of them via email to start conversations.