Loyola University > Mentor a CS/IT Student > About the Program > Program Overview
Program Overview
The LUC CS/IT Mentoring Program is a comprehensive, year-long program that fosters meaningful and productive one-on-one relationships between students and mentors. The program in its initial pilot form is a partnership between the LUC Computer Science Department and its Program Advisory Committee consisting of LUC alums and industry leaders.
The program is made possible by a loyal network of alumni and industry professionals willing to volunteer their time on behalf of the University and motivated undergraduate students eager to prepare themselves for success with the help of fellow Ramblers. For both, it is a true exercise in the Jesuit concept of magis or the endeavor of doing more, achieving more, and being more.
Mentoring is central to LUC's identity. Mentors are, in essence, partners with faculty, administrators, and staff in caring for and forming the whole student in the spirit of cura personalis.
Application and Matching
Applicants should evaluate their ability to commit to regular communication with an assigned partner before they decide to apply. Application information is thoughtfully reviewed by the Mentoring Program team and participants are matched based on commonalities in their personal, professional, and academic profiles.
Applicants should evaluate their ability to commit to regular communication with an assigned partner before they decide to apply. Application information is thoughtfully reviewed by the Mentoring Program team and participants are matched based on commonalities in their personal, professional, and academic profiles.
Once a match is made, a match notification email is sent to the pair introducing mentor and mentee and providing some other basic information on the program. The student is asked to make first contact with his or her mentor.
Scheduling
Mentor-mentee pairs are asked to plan 2-4 hours of monthly interaction over the course of the academic year. The mentoring commitment is flexible; pairs agree upon the manner (i.e., in-person meetings, phone calls, video chat) and frequency of communication (i.e., weekly, monthly) that suits them best.
Mentor-mentee pairs are asked to plan 2-4 hours of monthly interaction over the course of the academic year. The mentoring commitment is flexible; pairs agree upon the manner (i.e., in-person meetings, phone calls, video chat) and frequency of communication (i.e., weekly, monthly) that suits them best.
In addition to their individual interactions, mentees and mentors may have the opportunity to take part in a variety of in-person events including the program launch “Meet and Greet” in September and the program wrap-up in May.
Pairs also complete brief web-based check point surveys to assess the progress of the relationship. Any in-person event can be counted toward the mentoring plan.
At the Meet & Greet, the program's first event, pairs complete the Mentor-Mentee Agreement, which outlines the terms of their relationship and personal communication plan. The Mentoring Program team is always available for further support.
Questions? See our Program FAQ page or email the LUC CS/IT Mentoring Program at ryacobellis@luc.edu.
