MBA Mentorship Program

The Richmond MBA program, in collaboration with the Richmond MBA Alumni Society, is excited to unveil a mentoring program open to current MBA students. 

The Richmond MBA Mentorship Program is specifically designed for MBA students who have an interest in developing a relationship with a respected business executive in the Richmond community.  The goal is that the mentor-mentee relationship will be one in which advice and encouragement are shared, as well as insights into career exploration.

Interested MBA students must submit an application, a statement of interest and a resume to be considered for the mentorship program. Mentee applications will be accepted through Monday, October 3. Experienced Richmond alumni professionals who are interested in participating in the program as mentors should apply using this application.  Mentor applications will be accepted through Monday, October 10. 

Mentors and mentees will be matched based on mutual career interests and work backgrounds.  The goal of the mentorship program is to build a solid foundation of mentors and mentees that will position the program for growth in future years.

The process of matching mentors with mentees will be facilitated by Debbie Fisher, assistant director of the MBA program.  Gary Welch ’10 has been named Chair of the MBA Mentorship Program and will also help in the pairing process along with Mike Grappone and Deborah Krausse of the MBA Alumni Society.  For this inaugural year, 20 mentees will be selected to participate in the program.

Welch wanted to get involved with the MBA Mentorship Program because, as a graduate student, he had a positive experience through participating in the Executive Advisory Council (EAC) mentoring program.  “This opportunity has proven invaluable thus far in my career, so I wanted to help give others this opportunity as well,” he said.  Welch believes that mentorship is helpful for students going through the MBA program.

“Mentorship is important for MBA students, because it helps to have a trusted advisor who can provide advice and guidance for your career,” according to him.  “Often we get caught up in the daily grind and forget to take a step back and look at the big picture.” 

Mentor John Granger, President/CEO of Mapcom Systems, said, “This program is a great idea. Being the first in our family to graduate from college I am truly grateful for the sponsorship and advice that I received from my mentors. They gave me the confidence to leave Ernst and Young—pursue a career in software sales and later technology executive management which led to me purchasing Mapcom in 2001.”          

Once applicants have been selected and matches have been completed, introductions will be facilitated via email. An introductory dinner is scheduled for Wednesday, October 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Jepson Alumni Center.

On Wednesday evening, November 9, John Christman of Genworth Financial will lead an educational session for mentors while Gary Welch will lead a session for mentees.

It is a great addition to The Richmond MBA that we can now offer an organized mentoring program for our students.  We appreciate the work that the MBA Alumni Society has put into helping develop this new program. To apply for the mentorship program, please follow this link.  If you have questions or a desire to get more involved in the mentorship program, please contact Debbie Fisher.