Professional Mentoring

P2P mentor, Lexie Hoops, talks about the exciting, yet challenging experience of adjusting to a new country and a new culture as she studies abroad in Madrid, Spain.

Lexie Hoops visits the town of Segovia, while studying abroad in Madrid, Spain.

Moving halfway across the world and leaving everything comfortable and familiar behind in hopes of gaining at a minimum, some cultural experience and knowledge, is undoubtedly nerve-wracking and out of most everyone’s comfort zone.  I was no exception. However, even without knowing a single person studying through my program or in my city of choice (Madrid, Spain), what came as a surprise was how quickly I acquired a sense of adventure and aptitude for navigating my way around a foreign city, learning a new language, and exploring all of Europe on a budget.

With my new-found friends, our weekly activities include finding new tapas bars, going to museums, taking day trips by train to cities throughout Spain, going to one of Madrid’s many parks, taking Spanish cooking classes, going to fútbol games, hiking in what the Spanish call “mountains,” and of course, going to school; although not having classes on Friday makes the weeks seem much shorter! There are countless things I have yet to do in Spain before I’m homeward bound. I have trips booked to locations such as Amsterdam, Morocco, Prague and Portugal, just to name a few!

My experience thus far has, admittedly, been difficult at times but always exciting and never boring. Studying abroad gives you the independence and ability to try so many new things, meet so many new people, and travel to so many new places that it would be unthinkable to never take the opportunity.

By PMP & P2P mentee & mentor, Emma Bartels

Emma and her P2P mentees

Coming to college was an exciting but nerve racking time. I looked forward to the new experiences and new faces but was also worried that I may not be fully prepared for the time management of my course load, the numerous activities offered, and the overall experience of college.

After being accepted into Leeds I found the Peer-2-Peer program. I was paired with an older student in Leeds and she was a huge help. She pointed me to useful resources, helped me get involved and was a leader by example for me. I feel like without Molly’s help, I would have gotten lost in the madness of freshmen year.

I really wanted to stay involved and help other first year students just as Molly helped me. I have had six mentees over the last two years and am happy to pass on the knowledge and guidance that I have been provided with and learned from my own experience. I think my mentoring abilities continue to get better each year and I am definitely learning new things along with my mentees.

I am also a mentee myself in the Professional Mentorship Program through Leeds. My mentor is in the exact field I want to be in some day. We have formed a relationship, professional and personal. Prema shows me, without knowing it, how to become a better mentor myself.

The two mentorship programs that I have been involved with have been more beneficial then I could have imagined. I am excited to continue to grow my relationships with my mentees and mentor.

What the Professional Mentorship Program Has Done For Me

By PMP Mentee Andrew Simpson-Johnson

Before the Professional Mentor Program, I was a student in the Leeds School of Business that was not involved in any type of club affiliated with the college.  I wanted to get more involved in a way that would benefit me and help me meet new people.  When I first heard Katie Connor speak about the program and describe the type of opportunities that were available to those who joined, I was immediately drawn to apply.  It was the perfect opportunity for me to get more involved at Leeds while at the same time it provided me with something that I truly valued; a professional resource.

The program allows the applicant to be matched up with a professional in any industry the student prefers. For me, I was matched with Jim Huff, a senior executive with an immense amount of experience in the areas of consulting and outsourcing.  From the first time that I talked to him over the phone he gave me insightful advice and provided objectives for me to reach while we cultivated our relationship.  He introduced me to some of his closest friends and business associates in order to gain from their additional perspectives.  Jim has helped me develop my knowledge of several different aspects of the business world including networking, interviewing, resume building, interpersonal communication, maintaining a business relationship, and how to find the career that I wanted given my degree. 

Over the past year, I have learned an immense amount from my mentor, Jim Huff.  He has educated me in the most important things that every successful professional should know.  A better understanding of the professional world, the right kind of communication to those trying to help you, and the importance of a broad, well maintained, solid network are all things that my mentor has taught me.  When looking for jobs, joining the PMP gives any student a huge advantage over any other applicant, not just on paper, but almost entirely from the knowledge that you will have gained from your experience.           

After joining the Professional Mentorship Program, I quickly learned that this was not only an opportunity to build a lifelong relationship with someone, but that it also provided me with the resources I needed to expand my own network beyond what was originally available.  The program helped me build a foundation for my life after Leeds.

Andrew is pursuing a Bachelors Degrees in Economics as well as Business Administration, with an emphasis in Finance.  He is from Louisville, Colorado and graduated from Monarch High School in 2008.  He works part time as a server in Boulder and enjoys playing tennis, basketball, and skiing in his free time.  Andrew hopes to find a career in the financial sector after graduating from the University of Colorado.