Student and alumna connect for professional mentoring

Early in October, I reached out to alumna Megan Filipowski through the Mentoring Alumni Program (MAP). I chose to contact Megan because she graduated with the same major I am currently pursuing – Professional Writing.

I sent Megan an email and she responded within the next two days. She seemed just as excited as to begin this connection as I was. We planned a FaceTime call for the next week.

During our FaceTime call, I was able to learn more about Megan’s education and career path after graduation. I took notes practically the whole time because of the meaningful chunks of advice she continually offered to me. The wisdom and experiences she has gained while working in this industry were not something I could find in a text book – they were expressions of a genuine understanding of what it really means to have a career in Professional Writing.

Megan encouraged me to reach out to writers who work in positions I would be interested in after graduating. Although this seems simple, it is a task I had never considered before. I plan to take this advice and conduct informational interviews with writers in different fields.

Megan and I were able to meet for coffee over Thanksgiving break. I loved being able to learn more from her and to continue developing our relationship!

-Celeste Fendt
Junior Professional Writing major

If you would like to become a MAP mentor, and potentially have the opportunity to invest in current students like Megan has, visit www.arbor.edu/mentoring to sign up