Experience Is Knowledge. Mentors Pay It Forward.
The KCVS Professional Mentoring Program pairs students moving into careers in providing services or working alongside veterans with experienced professionals.
Mentoring is available to all students enrolled in the minor or university-level certificate programs, though mentors can be assigned to students not pursuing a Veterans Studies credential on an as-available basis.
What Do Mentors Teach Mentees?
- How to understand veterans’ unique identities, cultures, and experiences
- What courses and degrees needed to work in a desired field
- How to apply to jobs, write resumes and cover letters, and perform in interviews
- How to build professional networks and an online presence conducive to employment
- Specialized skills and knowledge that can only be learned on the job
Mentees – What You Need to Know
- Pairings last for a period of one semester (spring or fall).
- At a minimum, plan to meet three times (beginning, middle, and end of the semester) at times convenient to the mentor. You may meet more.
- You will be provided with a link to a survey form that will ask you think metacognitively about what you learn during each meeting (this also helps KCVS adapt the program to students’ changing needs).
- You may sign up for additional pairings as available or extend with your original mentor upon request.
Mentors – What You Need to Know
- EKU requires all volunteers to submit to a background check. There is no associated cost. The Program Director will gather your information, send you a form to sign, and let you know once the process is complete.
- We ask that mentors be willing to meet at least three times during an academic semester.
- You may volunteer to serve as a mentor for up to three students.
- Though we try to pair mentees and mentors based on career interests, this may not always be possible. Consider the skills you have learned from working with veterans that are transferrable to other fields.
- Please let the Program Director know if mentees miss appointments or do not convey themselves professionally. We consider such cases “teachable moments” and will counsel the student to prepare them for the workforce.