Led by the UEBS Student Development Team and supported by the UEBS Alumni Team, this programme was designed to offer our third and fourth year undergraduate students a personalised learning journey, with space inbuilt for reflection, development and support from an alumni mentor providing first-hand career insight.
The programme also enables our alumni – who are recruited globally to enhance diverse perspectives - to develop their skills, network with other colleagues who are passionate about student development, and give back and benefit in ways aligned with their career stage.
Since launching in 2019, the programme has supported over 700 students through 1:1 mentoring partnerships with alumni across industries, career stages and global locations. Embedded within the School’s Coaching Culture and employability ecosystem, the programme equips students with greater confidence, self-awareness and career readiness, while enabling alumni to develop leadership, mentoring and core-coaching capabilities. Its reciprocal model fosters intergenerational learning, sustained alumni engagement and a strong sense of community, with many mentoring relationships continuing beyond the formal programme and former mentees returning as mentors.
This was one of the most valuable experiences of my uni time. At the start of semester I was casting an impossibly wide net… My mentor helped me narrow my focus and take a longer-term view. I finished the semester more excited about the future and clearer on what I want.Mentee
I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring for 20 years – the professionalism and supportive structure applied by the Business School is superb. I wish we had such an opportunity when going through my MBA!Mentor
This year, the GRAFTAs received hundreds of high quality nominations across a wide range of categories, and so we are especially thrilled to have been shortlisted against such a strong level of entries from across the sector. This recognition reflects the dedication of the staff, alumni mentors and students who have shaped the programme over the past six years and contributed to its continued success. The winners will be announced at the GRAFTAs awards evening on 2 July in Nottingham, held as part of a gala dinner and the centrepiece of the Graduate Futures Institute’s annual conference.