HBCU Fellowship Mentorship Program

Welcome to the HBCU Fellowship Mentorship Program supported by the Career Design Lab (CDL) at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies. We are excited to connect our distinguished HBCU Fellows with Industry professionals.

About

This program is designed to provide mentorship while creating a pipeline to the industry. Fellows are paired with industry experts, tapping into their knowledge, skills, and experience. The objective involves matching Fellows with impactful opportunities through high Impact touchpoints, utilizing either:

Industry Advisors – Individuals who offer knowledge, skills, and shared experiences;

Industry Coaches – Professionals who serve as confidants while fostering career competencies; or

Employer Sponsors – Leaders who provide job resources, shadowing, and employment prospects. 

Fellow Benefits 

The HBCU Fellowship Mentorship Program offers an excellent networking opportunity for fellows, not only for  building a strong base for their professional network but also for long-term career success, including the following:

  • Deepening connections within and beyond the Columbia community  
  • Learning about and discussing specific linear career paths  
  • Developing and cultivating an extended network  
  • Understanding the relevance of academic studies in a practical setting  
  • Discussing what tasks and issues professionals/leaders face at the workplace  
  • Discussing attributes and experiences organizations are looking for in potential candidates

HBCU Mentor Benefits 

The HBCU Fellowship Mentorship Program is a wonderful opportunity for mentors to support our distinguished HBCU Fellows in their career journey. Mentors will learn first-hand the challenges and opportunities that fellows face and provide valuable insights on how to start and navigate careers, share industry information, review job applications, and conduct practice interviews with their mentees.

CDL is currently seeking mentors from the following industries:

Priority is given to individuals and organizations that can support Fellows in STEM-designated programs. Those programs are:

Become a Mentor