Alumni mentoring at BU

Express your interest

Get involved, inspire the next generation and discover the latest talent entering your industry. Our alumni mentoring scheme matches the skills and experiences of BU’s graduates with the career aspirations of our current students.

As an alumni mentor, you will be matched with a student mentee to provide advice on making the first steps into graduate employment. Your mentee will set out the areas they’d like to work on at the start of the mentorship – from improving their CV to interview tips or insights into the skills which employers are looking for.

Mentorships operate on a 1:1 basis and typically last for three months. You will be supported throughout by the Alumni Relations Team.

Why get involved?

By volunteering your time as a mentor, you can:

Use your experiences to give back and support the careers of others
Develop new professional skills
Make contact with emerging talent entering your sector
Gain increased exposure for your organisation and build new networks.

Here’s what some of our existing mentors and mentees have said about the programme:

It is important to support the people trying to better themselves and progress however we can. I also recognise how beneficial it can be to have a current student or graduate from the course come back and talk to the students. It helps to hear from people that have experienced the issues you are experiencing, knowing that they have progressed as a result of all their hard work and giving you an idea of what potentially lies ahead. I'm supporting my employee to be a Mentor as this as it will be good for her further development.”
Malcolm Bussey

BU has more of a community feel with alumni mentoring students.”
Carrie Giunta

Media & Communications

“I have been enjoying having a mentor. Everything went really well, and we were in regular contact. I learned a lot from the process!”

- Katie Stoner, mentee

“My Mentor provided insight into the career options I have in the future and the opportunities available for me that I would otherwise be unaware of.

“She also kindly read over applications and personal statements for me.”

Gemma Wellings, Media and Communications Mentee

“Having been selected with my mentor was a dream come true as his portfolio of work matched my career goals. From week one to now, he planned meetings and was engaged in our discussions.

“My Mentor has put me in contact with people within the industry as well as helped me secure placements.”

Rebecca Buckle, Media & Communications Mentee

“My mentor gave me great advice and contacts for the future - he helped me with my job application and it even ended up with me getting my job!

“Honestly I couldn’t recommend it more and I was fully satisfied - it couldn’t have been better for me.”

Ollie Leitelmayer, Media & Communications Mentee

"I’ve really enjoyed the Bournemouth University mentoring programme so far, it’s very fulfilling and a great way to give back. I used to attend every guest lecture at BU and ask a tonne of questions to get advice from the industry professionals. Being able to access this advice now through the mentoring programme on a 1-1 basis is a fantastic way for students to get valuable career support and I’m very happy to pass on my personal experiences to others looking to enter the media industry."

- Dan Brown, Media & Communications Mentor

Mentor Elena Rubio Hall and mentee Tanya Garcia Ayala

Mentor Elena Rubio Hall (Production Controller, Television Drama) met with her mentee, Tanya Garcia Ayala, who is studying MA Producing Film and Television.

Elena said: "This is so great, being able to meet my mentee in person and to be able to offer advice and support. It's such a great opportunity for the students to gain knowledge from someone like myself working within the industry, it can lead to great things in the future."

Tanya said: "I'm enjoying having such a great mentor and learning more about the industry. Elena is so supportive and is advising me today on my CV and how to network to build future contacts."

"I’ve found the scheme extremely helpful. My mentor works as a TV editor and has given me lots of advice around my CV and entering the industry. Applying for the scheme is so easy and you get so much out of it."

- Jemma Wood, Media & Communications student

"I found the reflective process of trawling my experience to provide targeted advice very rewarding. I was impressed with the mentee's clearly defined objective, they just needed guidance on possible pathways. I hope some of my insight proves helpful to the mentee in finding clarity in forging a career."

- Chris Stoaling, Media & Communications Mentor

"I’ve loved being able to give graduates starting their careers in TV the kind of information I wish someone had been there to give me. It’s also been a fascinating opportunity to look at my own profession in a critical light, which I’ve found really rewarding and stimulating."

- John Rosser, BU Media & Communications Mentor

Psychology

“It went well with my mentee; I’ve tried to answer her questions as honestly as I can and given advice based on my experiences. My mentee knows if she needs anything further, she can always contact me. I’m there to support!”

Jasmine Barrett, NHS crisis support worker and Psychology mentor

“I really like the mentee programme. It's nice to share understanding and skills that I have learnt and help others get to where they need to be.”

Olivier Gowan - Psychology Mentor

"The mentoring programme for me has been really interesting. I've been able to be the person I felt I needed when I was going through my last year of university. Next steps and careers felt really daunting despite going to the seminars and lectures that were offered to help at the time. To be able to help others with what I know now (and I am still learning) is rewarding and hopefully my mentee feels the same!"

- Emily Daniels, Psychology mentor

"The Alumni Mentoring Scheme has been very beneficial for me! It has allowed me to gain an understanding of life after graduation and how to navigate my way through applying for jobs and building an outstanding CV. It has also been uplifting building a professional relationship with someone in a position I aspire to be! My Mentor has been great, answering all my questions and advising me on any queries I have. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested as it's been such a fun and valuable experience for me."

- Tessa Thomas, Psychology Mentee

"I have found the mentoring experience both humbling and rewarding. I feel honoured that my mentee let me be a part of her university journey and pleased to have helped to provide guidance, even in the smallest of ways. I'm proud of the fact that BU recognises the value alumni can add to the university experience."

- Roxanne Opas, Psychology Mentor

"The scheme has been highly beneficial and I would definitely recommend it! I had a great mentor and he offered useful and insightful advice, suggestions and tips both towards my dissertation and in my search for a graduate job after university.

"I would highly recommend the scheme for any students who are unsure of their future career choices, need tips and recommendations for interviews, CV or presentation skills, as well as those wanting to maximise their time management skills throughout their final year.

"It’s great to be connected with an expert in your area of interest, who encourages you to pursue potential career opportunities as well as providing useful advice throughout the entire year at university, and after!"

- Holly Sumpter, Psychology Mentee

Design & Engineering

“I have enjoyed the mentoring programme immensely and found it very valuable. The programme has given me the opportunity to access my mentor's knowledge and experience, especially, how to use my degree to move into post-graduation and the working world. They have been extremely supportive and provided regular contact and even planned to attend my final degree show. The opportunity to meet in person meant that we were able to build a rapport quickly and I felt comfortable asking for advice on a wide variety of worries regarding the workplace. My mentor has shown dedication to the mentorship programme by offering a workplace visit and regular contact throughout what has otherwise been a very stressful year. I am beyond appreciative of the continuing support and look forward to staying in touch over the coming period.”

- Emma Latham, mentee

"I’ve only just joined the programme, however I've exchanged a couple of emails with my mentor and so far I would say it's been very beneficial to share an insight with someone who has relevant industry experience. I’m looking forward to what the future may hold."

- Thomas Faragher, Design & Engineering student

"For me its been a very positive and valuable experience, we've had some good email conversations and I've been able to answer questions about my career and how I got there which I believe has been helpful. We are going to remain in contact so I can answer any other questions, especially as she applies for more role."

- Matt Bird, BU Graduate

"My mentor was a great help all round. I have been to visit his office and had a chat with him and his work partner about what they do and they both gave me great feedback on my portfolio and general advice".

- Megan Butler, Design & Engineering student

"I have found the mentoring programme to be extremely helpful and it has provided me with a lot of really valuable information in the areas I am interested in.

The experience has been brilliant overall”

- Cameron Falconer-Cunningham, Design and Engineering student

Public Relations

"This programme has given me a real understanding of where I want to be after I graduate. My mentor has inspired me to look into alternative opportunities that I would not have originally had the confidence to apply to."

- Manjot Sekhon, PR student

"Caroline, my mentor, was very supportive. Our conversation offered great insights into the sector I wish to work in. She offered really good advice regarding looking for jobs and helped me to understand the short-term goals I should aim for whilst finishing my final semester at BU."

- Martha Davis, PR student

“My degree from Bournemouth has been the bedrock of my career, so being part of the mentoring scheme was a great way of showing my appreciation and getting involved. Working with my mentee hopefully helped him to better define his career choice, but was equally as rewarding for me, providing the opportunity to offer advice to the new generation of PR professionals.”

– Kevin Coles, BU graduate

“Mentoring has been a sheer joy as it helped me to understand university graduates' concerns and how I can address these to become a better employer, mentor and colleague.”

– Vera Markova, BU Graduate - Founder of Revolucia

"It was very helpful to have a mentor in my final year at University. It was amazing to have that additional relationship with a professional from the industry, not just our lecturers. I would definitely recommend it to other students and I would love to be a mentor in the future. It was a great experience."

– Yana Miladinova, PR student

"From discussions we had, I believe my mentee got a lot out of having the opportunity to ask questions about life after university and it provided me a great experience to reflect on what I have achieved since graduation.

“I think the scheme is a great idea and am happy to continue supporting future students"

– Kirstie Price, BU PR graduate

Advertising

Journalism

Tom Beasley – Freelance Film Journalist, Blogger and Podcaster mentor

“In the same way that I enjoy taking part in the Careers Forum every year, it was great to be able to give back and share tips about the course and the wider journalism world. One of the unexpected benefits for me personally was that I was more aware of job/freelance opportunities in the sector because I was keeping an eye out for opportunities to pass on to my mentee.”

Tom Beasley - Journalism mentor

Charlotte Andrews – BBC News reading Journalist mentor

“It’s nice to know I can help people in a situation that I was in myself a few years ago. Hopefully next year, if there are no covid restrictions, I could invite my mentee for a shadowing day at the BBC.”

Charlotte Andrews - Journalism mentor

Ian Moss – BBC Journalist mentor

“Great to be able to see where under-grads are pitching themselves. Helps me in terms of what I can take back to the BBC to understand how we best use the recruits of the future.”

Ian Moss - Journalism mentor

Alumni to Alumni mentoring

Law

“The mentoring programme went well, and my mentor was absolutely lovely and helpful.

“We had video chats and she recommended various resources for me to use; she also told me about a networking event for junior lawyers that she was attending, I went along to the event and met her there, which was great, and we will continue to keep in contact.”

Outi Kallunki – mentee

How it works

Our mentoring programme is open for student applications at two points in the academic year – November and April. We also run subject-specific mentoring programmes based on demand across the year.

We are always looking for new alumni mentors from all sectors and subjects of study. Recent programmes have included students from design and engineering, computing and informatics, marketing communications, psychology and media production.

To express an interest, complete our online alumni details form, and tick the ‘alumni mentoring’ box under the ‘Getting involved and volunteering section’. We will get in touch to let you know about relevant opportunities.

Alumni mentoring in 2022-23

Due to the success of the 2021-2022 Alumni Mentoring Programme, in 2022-23 we will be increasing the scope of the programme to support students from the following courses:

Faculty of Media and Communications

BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism
BA (Hons) Communications and Media
BA (Hons) Media Production
BA (Hons) Computer Animation Technical Arts

The Bournemouth University Business School

BA (Hons) Business & Management
BA (Hons) Events Management
BSc (Hons) Sports Management
BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching
Master of Business Administration
LLM Legal Practice

Faculty of Science and Technology

BSc (Hons) Computing
BSc (Hons) Mechanical Engineering

We have also launched the Black Alumni mentoring programme to support our current Black students at any level, on any course.

You can find out more by reading our Alumni Mentoring Handbook

Michelle leads our mentoring programmes. Michelle says:

“Our alumni have a wealth of professional knowledge and experience which we value, and we have enthusiastic students wishing to gain skills to help them in their future career. Matching students with an alumni mentor helps to prepare the next generation for the expectations of the workplace while also maintaining connections with our alumni community in ways which are beneficial and rewarding.”

Phone: +44 (0)1202 962092 | Email: [email protected]

Sam Roberts-Aird – Alumni Relations Officer

Sam is responsible for expanding the reach of our alumni mentoring programme, ensuring that students receive the support they need to take their next steps into employment. Having previously worked at BU in student admissions, she enjoys seeing how student progress through their university journey and beyond.

Phone: +44 (0)1202 961081 | Email: [email protected]