The USC Career Center and USC Counseling & Mental Health are excited to announce the launch of the second annual International Student Mentorship Program in Spring 2025! The program aims to support international undergraduate and graduate student career and personal development and wellbeing by fostering mentorship relationships with international Trojan alumni.

Program Timeline:

• Mentor Application Period: November 1 – December 1, 2024
• Match Decisions: January 6-10, 2025
• Mentor Orientation (mandatory): January 10, 2025
• Mentor-mentee meetings: January-May (at least once per month)
• Career and Personal Development Workshops/Activities: January-April (twice per month)
• Program Closing Celebration: May 3, 2025, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Pacific Time

Program Calendar:

Becoming an International Student Mentor

The application for mentors opens on November 1, 2024 and closes on December 1, 2024. All required components of the program will be conducted virtually, with the option to attend the Closing Celebration in person. You can access the registration questions and application through the International Student Mentorship Program Page in the Trojan Network. Be sure to complete your profile and the application questions in detail since we will use your responses to pair you with our students.

Registration is linked to the Trojan Network, so you will also need to create a Trojan Network account in order to complete the registration for the International Student Mentorship Program. The Trojan Network is USC’s online professional networking and mentor platform where alumni can connect with other alumni and current students.

Before applying for this program, please make sure your Trojan Network profile is up to date with your most recent information: Graduation Year, Program/Degree, Current Position/Company.

Program Impact

The mentor-mentee relationship that is fostered throughout the International Student Mentorship Program gives students the chance to learn from someone who shares similar interests and experiences, and provides mentors the opportunity to share their insights, give back to the Trojan community, and promote student success.

“I would like to thank my mentor for her warmth, positivity, and guidance. My semester was so much better because of her.”  — 2024 Mentee

“My mentor was incredibly helpful and assisted me with the CPT process. He was also willing to go above and beyond to ensure that I was seizing every opportunity. I am so grateful to be paired with him.” — 2024 Mentee

“A massive shoutout to my amazing mentor who has been there for me every step of the way, offering guidance, support, and encouragement. Your dedication and care have made a huge difference in my journey. Thank you for being such a phenomenal mentor for me!” — 2024 Mentee

Mentor Expectations

• Active Participation: Proactively connect at least once a month and commit to expectations set with your mentee (outreach should be initiated by the mentee, however you can always encourage/remind the student).
• Career Coach: Serve as a coach to guide a current USC international student through their university and career path. Listen with respect and openness.
• Sharing your experiences: Draw upon your personal and professional experiences as an international college student to offer guidance and insights related to resources, career exploration, as well as personal and professional development.
• Professional Skill Development for Mentee: Help your mentee develop their professional skills such as resume and cover letter writing, elevator pitch, and interview and communication etiquette.

The program requires a commitment of one academic semester (January–May). As a mentor, you have an important role in building community while promoting career exploration and professional development for your mentee. One way this is accomplished is through participating in the virtual workshops for all mentors and mentees. These events focus on career development (i.e., job-search strategies, networking, interviewing, etc.) and personal wellbeing (how to manage stress/anxiety, time management, healthy habits, etc.), and provide an opportunity for all program participants to network and interact as a group. We have also developed Mentorship Principles that help set the foundation for successful mentoring relationships.

Program Format

All required events will be conducted virtually to facilitate participation by alumni who may be living abroad. Some (optional) workshops may be hosted in person, along with the Program Closing Celebration. Mentor and mentee pairs are also encouraged to meet in person at their convenience. Virtual workshops will take place on predetermined dates during the months of February through April. Mentors and mentees can join these workshops live, or watch the recordings asynchronously if they have scheduling conflicts. Outside of our monthly events, mentors and mentees are expected to meet at least once per month on their own to set and work on their shared mentorship goals. We have put together a Mentor Goal Guide with suggested professional-, personal-, and academic-development activities to help you and your mentee get started.

As a reminder, use your best judgment when engaging with students. Review our Non-Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Guidelines for policies on how to interact with students while developing a mentoring relationship. If an interaction is inappropriate or unprofessional, please notify us. We expect appropriate and professional engagement at all times.

If you have any questions, please contact careers@usc.edu.