Circles of Success offer unique connection for mentors and mentees
Circles of Success offer unique connection for mentors and mentees
January is National Mentoring Month, a prime time for UGA students to commit to further their professional career by connecting with a mentor. The traditional one-on-one UGA Mentor Program may not work for everyone, which is one of the reasons UGA Circles of Success were created.
Circles of Success invite students to join a small group of peers, in person or on Zoom, led by a mentor with similar interests and goals. Most groups include two and eight students and are traditionally matched to a mentor by the UGA Mentor Program.
“What drew me to this program specifically was the opportunity to have conversations with my peers about post-grad life, career choices and how to make the most of my time at UGA,” says Sarah Bell, a recent Entertainment and Media Studies graduate who was in a circle led by mentor David Andriate (AB ‘17) last semester. “And, these conversations are all guided by a mentor who can relate to our experience.”
Finding value in the program is mutual and Andriate says he loves talking with UGA students and leading a circle.
“Knowing that I am helping someone who is in the exact campus, city and state that I was in makes me relate so much to what they are going through,” says Andriate, who runs his own video production company in California and serves as a product marketing manager for Manychat. “I always jump at any opportunity I have to help a fellow Dawg!”
Erina Lambeth (ABJ ’87), marketing and communications manager at Invio Automation, says the circle of five students that she mentors is completing their commitment of meeting once a month for four months, and feels that she and the students will continue to stay in contact due to their shared interests and love of Grady College.
“What I love about this mentoring environment is that during the sessions the students transform into mentors to each other,” Lambeth explains. “They help their peers peel away the layers of any problem and look at things in a new way. They gain insights from their peers’ knowledge and experience.”
Lambeth says they discuss whatever is top of mind for the students including how to ace interviews, find the right internship, determine which career path to follow and tips for building a personal brand on LinkedIn. One recent exercise they did together was a LinkedIn challenge where each person posted on LinkedIn, then the circle constructively reviewed the posts, offering insights on the messaging.
“UGA’s Circles of Success mentoring program scales mentoring and increases the impact,” Lambeth continues. “The broad and rich perspectives in a group environment make all the difference. In my case, six perspectives are better than two.”
Lambeth was so impressed by one of the students in her circle that she offered her an internship this summer.
Robby Thomas (ABJ ’04), vice president and general manager of WIS-TV in Columbia, South Carolina, and WMBF-TV in Myrtle Beach, appreciates the variety of students he meets through the circles. For example, he mentors one student who aspires to work in the same media industry as he does, and he mentors another student who is an engineering major and wants to learn more about journalism and local media.
“I think having students from completely different backgrounds helps them see the variety of experience that can be happening just across campus,” Thomas says. “It helps introduce ideas and topics they may have never considered.”
Thomas understands the value in this since he was an advertising major who never considered a career in TV news after graduation.
“I wound up thriving on a career path that I never saw from UGA,” Thomas continues. “I want to help students get that vision earlier.”
Whether participating in a traditional one-on-one mentorship or a Circle of Success, Lambeth encourages all alumni to become involved with the UGA Mentor program.
“Without a doubt, you will get more than you give, and the time you invest pays big dividends – especially as these students move into the world to make their mark,” Lambeth concludes.
Please visit the UGA Mentor Program webpage for details about becoming a mentor, or the Circles of Success FAQ for more details about that program.
Author: Sarah Freeman, freemans@uga.edu
