Meet Sebastian and Tim – two Finance majors in the Cox School of Business and one of the first mentor-mentee pairs in the inaugural Fall 2024 Mustang Mentors cohort.
The Mustang Mentors Peer Mentoring Program pairs incoming first-year and transfer students with experienced peers who share similar academic and career interests. For Tim, a first-year student navigating the excitement and complexity of starting college, this connection provided him with guidance and opportunity.
After being matched in September, Tim and Sebastian realized they were in some of the same clubs. “After receiving an email from Mustang Mentors to join, I thought it would be cool to help someone out coming in as a freshman,” said Sebastian. “I really wanted to help someone through the things that I just went through.”
Tim discussed how the peer-to-peer model helped him define and set academic goals related to his major and career path. “When I first started the mentoring program last fall, I had a goal of getting an internship,” Tim said. “Sebastian helped me figure out what options were realistic, and I was able to ask questions about different programs and the different recruitment processes.”
Along with their mentorship being impactful academically, the benefits of the program extended beyond the classroom. Sebastian shared how being a mentor has helped him develop another component of his leadership style. “I know that I want to be able to lead by example. I don’t want to be someone who says don’t do ‘x’ but then I do ‘x’. Mentoring Tim has also built my managerial skills by being able to share my experience and guide him through this year.”
Both Tim and Sebastian emphasized the value of authentic connection and networking through mentorship. “A good way of formulating connections is by establishing a mentor-mentee relationship. This whole mentorship experience has taught me how to navigate relationships. I’m mentoring Tim right now, but maybe one day down the line, he might be working somewhere I want to be and might be able to reciprocate the mentoring relationship we have,” said Sebastian.
Tim echoed that “networking is super important. With Sebastian being my mentor, it opened me up to more information. Just having someone who has been through the process who can give tips and tricks about what you should do, or shouldn’t do, is helpful,” said Tim.
When asked about why a student should join Mustang Mentors, Sebastian said: “When you come to college, it’s a whole new world, and there is a lot being thrown at you at once. If you can have someone who’s already had it thrown at them and can give a digestible version of their experience, it’s super beneficial.”
Tim agreed, highlighting how welcoming Mustang Mentors is. “It can be hard to find a community when you come to college. This program is a good way to get to know someone in a way that feels less intimidating.”
Want to hear more inspiring stories like Tim and Sebastian’s? Discover the experiences of other students in the Fall 2024 Mustang Mentors cohort.
