The UTAA Mentorship Committee

The mission of the UTAA Mentorship Committee is to actively promote mentorship across the University to enrich both student and alumni experiences, resulting in a sense of community for all engaged.

The scope of this mandate includes all alumni-based mentoring programs across the University: all campuses, faculties, colleges and departments, regardless of size or style of programming. The goal is to ensure a broad range of options are available to suit the needs of our students and to engage our alumni in a meaningful and rewarding way.

The Mentorship Committee focuses on TWO key pillars:

1. Mentorship Community of Practice (MCOP)
   • Formally named in 2016, the MCOP  is made up of the responsible party/parties who lead each of the mentorship programs recognized by the committee.
   • The MCOP meets twice annually for working sessions, and shares ongoing communication amongst its members throughout the year.
   • The goal of the MCOP is to ensure awareness and support of best practices amongst the various programs, promoting an environment of sharing that enables continual improvement and ultimately creates a more consistent experience across programs.
2. Mentorship Committee Activities  
   • As well as organizing the MCOP meeting agenda, the committee meets regularly to discuss key topics.
   • The committee supports the creation of University-wide mentorship opportunities, such as the U of T Hub on Ten Thousand Coffees, to help fill the gaps where specific programs are not available, including potential future alumni-to-alumni mentoring.
   • The committee works with U of T's Career Exploration and Education Centre (formerly known as the Career Centre) to create and distribute content that supports both mentors and mentees in getting the most out of their mentorship experience.
   • Committee members represent the needs of the MCOP to the University as a whole.

Chair: Gordon Beal

The committee is made up of alumni, representatives of the MCOP, and both Alumni Relations and Career Exploration and Education Centre staff. This ensures a rounded view on the topics at hand.