4 must-see examples of mentoring programs with real-world results

Mentoring program

Whether you’re a seasoned Career Services professional or a nonprofit community leader, you may be well-versed in mentoring programs, or you may be just getting started. The benefits of a well-executed mentoring program are impactful for both participants and organizations alike:

  • Mentees get access to relevant, seasoned connections, personalized advice, and an expanded network of peers
  • Mentors benefit from leadership skill development and the joy of making a difference
  • Organizations benefit from a sustainable boost in engagement and retention

These outcomes, in turn, pay dividends back to the organization that invests in fostering connections – schools may see boosted engagement and retention rates and even a higher affinity to give back. Even better? Building a mentoring program doesn’t have to be overwhelming. 

From higher education institutions to nonprofits, we’re breaking down four examples of successful mentoring programs hosted through the Gravyty mentoring platform and why they work.

Alumni mentoring platform

Kappa Alpha Theta invited alumnae to participate in mentorship in an eye-catching way

  • Type of organization: International women’s fraternity
  • Size of mentoring program: 30+ participants
  • Type of mentorship: One-on-one
  • Standout factor: Video engagement

ThetaConnect, Kappa Alpha Theta’s alumni platform hosted on Gravyty, is a thriving community of like-minded Thetas who connect with peers, explore career opportunities, participate in events, and more. One of the group’s mentoring programs, Thetas in Higher Education, facilitates meaningful connections between experienced professionals and those just starting out in their careers. 

To boost program engagement ahead of National Mentoring Month in January, Theta’s engagement team leveraged Gravyty’s integrated video messaging tool to send out personalized videos inviting alumnae to participate in the program. The videos achieved an impressive 60% watch rate, with the emails featuring the videos reaching a nearly 40% click-through rate.

Gravyty has provided outstanding resources to help prepare me for being the mentoring program administrator. I feel very prepared and supported launching my program thanks to their guidance!

Madi Massey

Digital Marketing Coordinator, Kappa Alpha Theta

Theta’s mentoring program continues to grow, prompting rave reviews from its participants. One mentee shared this about the program’s benefits:

I learned a lot more about interviewing and résumé-building skills, as I had never had any prior training. My mentor provided me with a ton of helpful resources and encouragement.

Gracie Gurr

Mentee, Thetas in Higher Education

Brandeis University delivers an exclusive & tailored experience for mentees

  • Type of organization: Higher education
  • Size of mentoring program: 140+ mentoring relationships since 2021
  • Type of mentorship: One-on-one
  • Standout factor: Self-service functionality

Brandeis University’s Hiatt Career Center team sought out to create a place for Brandeis students to connect with alumni mentors to build confidence and grow their professional network. They created Rise Together Mentor Network, a mentoring program hosted on its Gravyty-powered alumni community platform called B Connect.

What makes Rise Together so special? Its intuitive and self-guided platform lets mentees find the right connections, share ideas, get feedback, and set up informational interviews – all on their own time and at their own pace. Rise Together participants also benefit from exclusive resources and networking events.

Mentors and mentees alike have found lasting career success from the Rise Together mentoring program and the broader alumni network. As one mentor put it:

Brandeisians are just extremely nice, and I’ve always found help within the Brandeis network, no matter how long ago people graduated.

Sarah Lue Landau

Mentor, Rise Together

Summer Search takes mentorship to a new depth

  • Type of organization: Nonprofit
  • Size of mentoring program: 30+ relationships
  • Type of mentorship: One-on-one, group, experiential
  • Standout factor: Robust and multi-level

Summer Search, a national youth development organization with five regional locations (Bay Area, Seattle, New York, Boston, and Philadelphia), has been helping high school sophomores through college-level students overcome barriers and reach their full career potential for 35 years. Mentorship is at the heart of its mission and practices.

Summer Search Connect, their member platform hosted by Gravyty, supports these programs with features such as exclusive groups, job boards, resources, and an active newsfeed. Notably, the Coaching feature matches mentees with volunteer coaches to help them achieve career development milestones and build networking relationships.

Summer Search Connect platform

The Summer Search team has recently seen impressive results with Gravyty’s new tagging feature on the platform, reporting a remarkable 271% increase in active users from the previous week.

Gravyty alumni engagement platform tagging

The Career Coaching program had a profound impact on my professional journey, helping me secure an internship directly in my field of interest – fashion design. Through the program, I also built a strong relationship with my mentor, who was deeply invested in finding the best opportunities for me and guiding me toward success.

Summer Search participant

Pass the Torch for Women Foundation builds career readiness with mentoring

  • Type of organization: Nonprofit organization
  • Size of mentoring program: 90+ relationships
  • Type of mentorship: One-on-one
  • Standout factor: Meaningful connections to a community of women from various backgrounds

The Pass the Torch for Women Foundation was created with a single, clear purpose – to support women along their professional journeys. The organization serves women in every stage of their career, from college to executive level.  One of the ways they add value to career-driven community members is through their mentorship program. Their robust mentoring program matches mentees up with mentors based on competencies and experience.

About their mentoring program, board member India Brown shares:

At Pass The Torch for Women, we believe in the transformative power of mentorship. With the integration of our CME mentor/mentee pairing technology, we’ve revolutionized the way we connect individuals by eliminating the challenges of manual pairing.

This innovation ensures seamless matches based on personalized criteria, fostering meaningful relationships that drive professional growth and empowerment. The success stories we see from these pairings reaffirm our mission to support women in achieving their full potential.

India Brown

Board member, Pass the Torch for Women Foundation

Support communities with virtual mentoring programs

From schools to nonprofits and even corporations, mentorship programs offer transformative benefits for individuals and communities alike. For mentees, they provide access to experienced connections, personalized guidance, and expanded professional networks. Mentors gain leadership skills and the satisfaction of making an impact. Organizations, in turn, reap the rewards of increased engagement, retention, and long-term loyalty.

The examples in this blog highlight innovative approaches to mentorship, including personalized video engagement, self-guided platforms, and multi-level mentoring structures. Use these inspiring examples as a springboard to drive meaningful connections within your communities.

Learn how to streamline and scale life-changing experiences for your membership communities with Gravyty’s mentoring and engagement platform.