DCU Mentors supporting Mentors

Our DCU Mentoring Programme continues to go from strength to strength and grows every year. With that growth comes new ideas to help support our amazing mentors, especially those new to the programme, through their mentoring journey with a second year DCU student.

With that in mind, the 2023/2024 mentors have been offered a new initiative devised and led by Ciara Cronin, a former Mentor of the Year, called the Open Office Hours session.

Run virtually with the support of the DCU Alumni Relations team and DCU Careers Service, the session is designed to give mentors an informal, structured and collaborative space to share best practices and ideas, ask questions and hear from experienced mentors about how they can ensure they, and their mentee, are maximising all the opportunities it offers.

The first session was held in December and over 10 mentors, the majority of whom were new to the programme, took part from across Ireland, the UK and USA. Questions ranged from looking for practical advice around in person collaboration with mentees to how best to support the students programme goals such as Intra Placements.

Ciara was delighted with the success of the pilot session: “It was also incredibly helpful to gain insights into mentors’ experiences with the program so far, as well as key themes which are top-of-mind for our mentees. I look forward to regrouping with mentors again for our next open hours session this month which will focus on the work shadow day.”

If you are an alumni and are interested in taking part in the 2024/2025 DCU Mentoring programme, make sure to update your details by using our Keep in Touch page.

Read a previous DCU Alumni news article by Ciara on the 'Power of Mentorship'.