Industry Mentorship Program

Application period

• Application for Mentors is OPEN!
  • Apply using this Google form.
• Application for Mentees is OPEN!
  • Apply using this Google form.  
• Application deadline: March 13, 2026

Duration of program

• April-June 2026

Check-in

• The Student Success Center will check-in with mentees and mentors once every month.
• Mentees and mentors will receive a survey at the end of the mentoring program.

Matching process

• We strive to match mentors and mentees based on interest indicated on the registration form from both parties.

Resume / cover letter

Review and critique your student’s resume and cover letter. Provide suggestions on what skills recruiters may be looking for in your industry.

Elevator pitch

Work with your student on crafting a 30-second personal introduction that will make a positive and lasting impression. This can be helpful at various networking or recruitment events.

Networking tips and etiquette

Provide tips on networking strategies and how to effectively network. Share the do’s and don’ts when it comes to networking.

Informational interview

Allow your student to interview you about your career path, education, job and more. Discuss the industry and office culture. This will allow the student to explore different careers that might best align with their interests and personality. Connect your student to other colleagues with whom they can also conduct an informational interview.

LinkedIn

Assist your student in creating a LinkedIn profile or review their profile and make suggestions on how to improve their online professional brand. Suggest associations and companies to follow in your industry.

Mock interview

Share your interviewing experience with your student. Conduct a mock / practice interview and provide feedback.

Technology / latest trends

Discuss how your company uses technology and what the latest trends are in your profession.

Graduate school

Discuss why you chose to go or not go to graduate school. Discuss the pros of an advanced degree in your field. If you have gone to graduate school, share tips about the application process and what your experience as a graduate student was like.

• Be professional, kind, respectful and thoughtful of each other’s experiences and the information shared.
• Consider both the privileges and hurdles you may have had throughout life that have affected your past, current and future decisions.
• Respond to email / other communication inquiries within 3-4 business days at the latest. If you will be away for a long time due to academic, work or personal commitments, please let the other person know. Communication is key!
• Ask each other about experiences and expectations.
• Share only what you feel comfortable sharing.
• Set appropriate boundaries. For example, if you are only comfortable (or able) connecting via email, share that with the other person.

Academic / professional icebreakers

• What inspired you to go into your field of study? 
• What obstacles have you encountered / overcome so far in your career? 
• Was there ever a moment in time when you wanted to quit? What did you do? 
• If you could go back in time and give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would you say? 
• Who is your biggest inspiration or hero? 
• What has been your favorite moment / achievement in your life / career that has made all your hard work worth it? 
• What is one thing you still need to improve on? 
• What are three things you would like to accomplish this year? 

Casual Icebreakers

• If you had all the money and time in the world, what would you do / buy? 
• If you could time travel only once, would you go into the past or the future? Why? 
• If you had to pick one other major or profession, what would it be? 
• What is one embarrassing story about yourself? 
• What is something you would like to learn? 
• If you could have an extra hour of free time every day, how would you use it? 
• When was the last time you did something for the first time? 
• Would you rather be able to run 100 miles per hour or fly 10 miles per hour?

Dear [Mentor Name],
 

Thank you for agreeing to mentor me in the UC San Diego School of Physical Sciences Mentorship Program! I look forward to meeting with you and learning more about [field mentor is in]. 

I saw that you currently work for [company] as a [job title] and believe [insert thoughts on company]. I would love to learn more about [specific department in the company] and your work in/on [specific topic of research/work]. 

I would like to start by sharing a little more information about myself. My name is [Mentee name] and I grew up in [location]. Some of my interests and hobbies include [insert interests/hobbies]. I am currently a [year and major/minor] and want to pursue a [Master’s degree, Ph.D., career, etc] in [field of study]. I have always been interested in being a [dream job] because [reason] and hope you can help me reach this goal. 

Presently, I am [insert clubs, jobs, leadership positions]. I [insert summary of responsibilities and what you do in these clubs]. I have attached my resume and a link to my LinkedIn page so you can learn more about my experiences and background.  

I applied for this mentorship program because [insert reason]. I need help on [insert things you would like to improve upon yourself]. Here are a few activities I hope we can work on together or topics we can discuss:

• [see "Suggested Mentorship Activities" above]
• [certain disciplines in the field]
• [Specific questions]
• [How to __ ]

I would love to set up a meeting to connect with you over zoom or phone. I am available on [inserts days and times]. Please let me know what works best for your schedule in the next few weeks.

Best,

[Mentee Name]

• Apply using this Google form.

• Apply using this Google form. 

Application deadline: March 13, 2026