Alumni mentoring is a personal connection between an experienced professional and a student. The relationship is flexible and informal, based on mutual agreement, and depends on the availability and needs of both parties. Experiences and feedback show that participation in the programme provides personalized, unique support for everyone. By sharing their knowledge and experience, the mentor can always offer help in a way that addresses the student's current situation and concerns, especially for those preparing for a similar career path. Students involved in mentoring are better prepared to succeed in the job market, have the opportunity to build connections, and potentially create long-term career plans. Alumni mentoring serves as a bridge between university students and the professional world.

Anyone who has earned a degree from the University of Szeged (SZTE) or its predecessor institutions can become an alumni mentor, and they are open to joining a strong community of alumni mentors and helping the next generation with professional matters at their current career stage. To apply, simply register on the uniszegedalumni.com website, and during the registration process, indicate that you are interested in mentoring. By doing so, you will automatically be added to the AMP group, where you can find all the relevant information and receive notifications about current tasks. Alumni mentors perform their activities pro bono, for which we are grateful.

Here are the steps to join if you would like to become an alumni mentor.

Anyone currently studying at the University of Szeged, whether in a full-time or correspondence program, and pursuing a BA, MA, undivided, or PhD degree.

There is no upper limit for launching an alumni mentoring collaboration. However, for a good relationship, we ask that you only commit to what you can fulfill and always communicate fairly with your mentor.

Thus, you can:

• work with 1 alumni mentor throughout your studies,
• choose a different alumni mentor each semester,
• collaborate with one alumni mentor within the AMP framework while still having the opportunity to occasionally ask another mentor questions through Flash Mentoring...

Steps for students to join.

On the SZTE Alma Mater website (uniszegedalumni.com), the Mentoring function allows students to independently initiate an alumni mentoring collaboration at any time after the registration.

Interested students can easily browse through former students and SZTE staff who are open to offering guidance, using various filters on the site. Once they find the most suitable mentor, they can simply reach out via message, and after that, it's all about coordination.

AMP is the framework of alumni mentoring. Beyond individually initiated connections, SZTE Alma Mater enhances effectiveness by offering structured four-month programmes in line with the university’s academic calendar - one in the fall and one in the spring during semester. This timeframe provides ample opportunity to set and achieve a shared goal that supports your professional development. This is what we call AMP (Alumni Mentoring Programme).

We recommend joining AMP because during this programme,

• the mentoring collaboration can take place with the support of the programme coordinator.
• you gain eligibility to participate in additional programmes and professional events.
• the content of the mentoring collaboration, as well as the method and timing of communication, remain flexible. However, if you can confirm at least two to three interactions per month, you will receive a certificate upon completion.
• you can also link it to an elective course for 2 credits if needed.

Sometimes, as a student, you may not want a continuous and structured mentoring collaboration, but rather someone you can approach occasionally with specific professional questions or dilemmas. There are alumni mentors who are currently open to this type of arrangement, which we call Flash Mentoring. Our programme also makes this possible, as long as both parties are aware that it is a Flash Mentoring type of collaboration.

Moreover, if the Flash Mentoring arrangement involves the alumni mentor being available to the student throughout the spring/fall cycle, and the student reaches out according to the minimum number of required interactions, this type of collaboration can also be accepted within the AMP framework, even as part of the course.

The programne not only benefits students and recent graduates, but also the participating alumni mentors, regardless of the stage of their career. On one hand, it provides an opportunity to discover and support talented young individuals, while on the other hand, it offers the chance to learn from perspectives different from our own and acquire new knowledge. We call this Back Mentoring, when the roles are reversed. This is a natural process, as in these types of collaborations, both parties participate as equals, and there are many areas where the younger generation or those from different fields can assist in our activities.

Whichever way you choose to participate, if you meet the minimum requirements set within the course framework, you can earn 2 credits per semester in addition to the added value of the experience.

However, taking the course is not mandatory, just an optional opportunity. If you're interested, look for it in Neptun under the elective courses: XA0021-AlumMentPr2-AkumMentPr

This program, which is unique in Hungary and Central Europe, can provide fresh graduates entering the labor market with a competitive advantage that will allow them to immediately stand out from their peers. Since its launch in 2014, 659 students have taken advantage of this opportunity thanks to 308 alumni mentors, we have been involved in launching 1,198 mentoring collaborations, with 855 of them concluding with a certificate, typically achieving a 90% satisfaction rate.

The unique programme’s methodology and results have received both national and international professional recognition:

In 2021, the SZTE Alma Mater Alumni Mentoring Program was awarded the Impact Awards 2021 for the development of a continuously expanding, diverse, and effective mentoring programme that supports both students and alumni members.

In 2023, the Alumni Mentoring Program won the Mentor Oscar in the organizational category for its activities within the framework of the programme and for fostering a guiding and supportive community.

In the successful Autumn cycle, 42.9% of participants said it exceeded expectations, while 33.3% got exactly what they envisioned.

Satisfied participants, successful mentoring, and continued professional collaborations in the AMP

GYIK / FAQ
For any questions, contact the AMP coordinator:

🔹 On the website: Gerháth Györgyi
🔹 Email: almamater@szte.hu
🔹 Messenger: SZTE Alma Mater or Gerháth Györgyi