I had an amazing experience in Ignite! My mentor and I really bonded and knowing that I have that support from a faculty member was so worthwhile.
Ignite has been a great opportunity to have a mentor that helps with each of the struggles that come up in a first year of college. My mentor and I met multiple times throughout the year, and she was always helpful in providing the information or advice needed, and if she couldn’t she would provide me the resources that could provide them. Having more resources is always beneficial and I’m glad I joined Ignite and hope to keep in contact with my mentor throughout my 4 years at SU.
I deeply value the connection my student mentee and I shared over the year and look forward to continuing our conversations. During our walks around campus or chats over coffee, we talked about everything you can imagine. I learned so much from them about their life, their experience as a SU student, and their dreams and aspirations. I appreciated being able to celebrate their successes during the first year at SU.
Ignite is a mentorship program for new undergraduate students (both first time in college and transfer students) who want to boost their success at Seattle U.
A national research study of college graduates found a significant connection between mentorship and both holistic wellness, as well as high engagement in one's work. For details, download the Gallup Purdue Great Jobs, Great Lives Report (Gallup Purdue, 2014). In our experience with Ignite participants, we also see a connection between working with a mentor and improved grades and likeliness to continue at Seattle U. It's a power booster to your performance and transition.
Invitations to participate are sent to new students entering fall, winter and spring quarters. If you are a student who would like to be matched with a mentor, please contact ignite@seattleu.edu to find out how to participate. Once you’ve received and completed the RSVP to the program, we will assign a mentor to you and connect the two of you by email. We do our best to match you with a faculty member, staff member, or graduate student that matches your interests and experieences.
We encourage mentees to stay in regular communication with their mentors. Each mentoring experience will be unique, so talk with your mentor about your goals, questions, challenges and successes. Think of your mentor as a coach. They will likely have some ideas about how to spend your time together, but you can (and should) help shape the experience.
If you are current mentee in the Ignite Mentorship Program, check out our Mentee Guide for advice on how to take full advantage of your resources as a mentee. If you have questions about the program, contact your mentor. If you are unable to get in touch with your assigned mentor, please contact ignite@seattleu.edu for help.
