Become a UCC Alumni Mentor

As a University College Cork (UCC) alumnus or alumna, you can help students navigate their career journey by sharing your experience, insights, and professional advice. Whether you're an established leader in your field or a recent graduate, your guidance can make a meaningful difference to students as they prepare for life after UCC.

Why Become a Mentor?

Mentoring is a rewarding way to support the next generation of UCC graduates while developing your own skills and professional network. 

Benefits of becoming a UCC alumni mentor include: 

• Develop leadership and communication skills through one-to-one mentoring. 

• Enhance your professional profile by gaining valuable volunteering experience. 

• Reflect on your own career journey and build confidence in your achievements. 

• Give back to UCC and help students transition successfully from university to the workplace. 

• Expand your network by connecting with students, alumni, and fellow mentors.

Mentoring Commitment

The UCC Mentorship Programme is designed to be flexible and manageable alongside professional commitments. 

As a mentor, you will be invited to: 

• Participate in an orientation session and networking event. 

• Meet virtually with your mentee for three one-hour sessions over a six-month period. 

• Provide occasional advice and support by email where possible. 

Meetings are arranged by the student mentee, making it easy to fit mentoring into your schedule.

How to Become a Mentor

By completing the mentor application form, you'll create a mentor profile that helps the UCC team match you with a student whose interests align with your career expertise and experience. 

To learn more about becoming a UCC mentor, please contact

alumni@ucc.ie

Mentoring Resources

For guidance on your role as a mentor, view theUniversity College Cork Mentorship Programme Handbook 2026-2027 and learn more about the programme's approach, expectations, and best practices.

Feedback from past mentors on the programme:

“I found the experience very interesting and rewarding. My mentee prepared well for every session, and I hope I helped him to consider all his options and different angles before he made his decisions”.

“I really enjoyed mentoring and couldn’t have asked for a more engaged and willing mentee”.

“It was a rewarding and beneficial experience”.

“I had an incredibly positive experience with my mentee this year. We had 3 meetings in total – the first was virtual and we met on UCC campus for the following two. We worked very well together, and I thought we were a very good mentor/mentee match in terms of areas of interest. We have agreed to keep in touch over the summer as my mentee looks for a job next year, and I have a feeling our mentor/mentee relationship will continue beyond that again”.

Feedback from past students on the programme:

“I found the mentoring programme beneficial for a number of different reasons. I felt by talking through my future plans with someone who has experience with making these decisions very insightful and helped me to identify what my future career goals were. In practical terms it was very helpful in knowing what specific skills and qualities employers look for and identifying any gaps in my knowledge and how to bridge this gap. Also through talking to someone in a senior role it was very useful with regards to gaining insight into what it is like to carry out research in a lab over a number of years and the importance of the university culture being a correct fit for you.”

“I received invaluable advice from someone with experience within my field. This programme taught be to believe in my decisions and made me more confident in myself. It is extremely beneficial to get to bounce ideas off of someone who understands your uncertainties, and to receive relevant advice.”

“The mentoring programme was really beneficial in allowing me to make connections and expand my network. It was also helpful in teaching me valuable aspects of what is important to look for in future careers, what I should work on now to better my chances of getting into my job, aspects of bettering my CV as well as helping me create more networks on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter.”