Staff Mentorship Program

Learn how mentors and mentees are matched together to discuss goal setting, networking and career planning.

Program Overview

UC San Diego (Campus, UC San Diego Health System, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography) has a workforce of over 35,000 employees located throughout San Diego. Launched in 1996, the Staff Mentorship Program is an enriching professional development experience that is open to all UC San Diego staff members.  

The program matches mentors and mentees based on their interests and experiences with the goal of preparing mentees to grow in their careers and become leaders in their field. Mentor and mentee pairs meet once a month over a six-month period to discuss goal setting, networking and career planning.

The program runs annually from November through April, with an initial kickoff session in late October.

Mentor Benefits

Serving as a mentor empowers staff to use their skills, knowledge, and experience to contribute to anothers person's professional growth and development.

UC San Diego staff employees who participate as mentors benefit from:

• Hands-on experience in professional coaching and leadership development.
• Visibility to their respective UC San Diego Vice Chancellor through a letter from the Staff Mentorship Program acknowledging their leadership and contributions as a mentor.
• Recognition by Career Connection with a certificate of appreciation.

Apply any time to be a mentor in the Staff Mentorship Program, in order to have more mentors available for accepted mentees. The program runs annually from November through April, with an initial kickoff session in late October.

Mentee Benefits

Having a mentor empowers staff to hone their skills, build their career knowledge, and develop strategies to navigate their professional growth and development. Mentees benefit from the ability to ask questions, receive feedback, and develop tangible and big picture career goals.

UC San Diego staff employees who participate as mentees benefit from:

• Guidance, advice, and encouragement from a mentor who serves as a coach, sounding board and professional confidante.
• Formal and informal networking opportunities.
• Recognition by Career Connection with a certificate of appreciation.

Mentee applications are open annually mid-August through the end of September - see exact dates below.

Program Requirements for Mentors and Mentees

• Participants must be UC San Diego staff members (Health System/Sciences included)
• Mentors may apply online at any time, in order to have more mentors available for accepted mentees.
• Mentees may apply online for the Fall 2023/Winter 2024 session during the application period: August 14 through September 29, 2023 at 4:30 p.m.
• Participants will be notified of their match status during the second week of October.
• Register for and attend the Staff Mentorship Program Kick-Off: Thursday, October 19, 2023, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., via Zoom.
• If matched, meet with your mentor/mentee for an hour, once a month, for a six-month period from November through April.

Do you know someone you think would be a good mentor?

Email them a mentor touch card (PDF), explaining why you think they would make a good mentor, and showing them the benefits of being a mentor as well as how to apply.