Your Journey
Seven stages across one academic year
Each stage tells you what happens, why it matters and exactly what each brother does.
Stage 1 — Apply
Start With a Profile
Mentors and mentees each complete a short application that captures goals, experience and availability.
Why it matters. A thoughtful match starts with honest information. What you share here shapes who you are paired with and what your year focuses on.
What happens
- Undergraduates complete the Mentee application.
- Alumni complete the Mentor application.
- Mentor Program Leads review every profile before matching begins.
The mentee does
- Name the leadership areas you want to develop.
- Share your field of study and career interests.
- Provide your availability and meeting preferences.
The mentor does
- Share your industry, expertise and leadership experience.
- Confirm your availability and mentoring capacity.
- Note the development areas you can coach with confidence.
More detail
What a profile eventually captures
- Development goals
- Leadership needs
- Field of study or industry
- Career interests
- Experience
- Availability
- Meeting preferences
Stage 2 — Match
Thoughtful Matching
Mentor Program Leads and Alumni Board leaders thoughtfully pair each mentee with an alumnus whose strengths align with his development needs.
Why it matters. The right pairing is the difference between a year of real growth and a year of polite check-ins. Leadership compatibility comes first; career alignment is secondary and optional.
What happens
- Mentor Program Leads review mentee development needs alongside mentor strengths.
- The Alumni Board helps confirm pairings and mentor capacity.
- Both brothers are notified of their match ahead of kickoff.
The mentee does
- Be honest about where you need to grow.
- Flag a career interest if you want the optional track.
The mentor does
- Confirm the match is one you can commit to.
- Review your mentee's stated development goals before kickoff.
More detail
How pairing decisions are weighed
- Leadership development needs come first.
- Mentor strengths in those same areas.
- Shared field of study or industry where possible.
- Availability and meeting preferences.
Smart Match review by Mentor Program LeadsStage 3 — Kickoff
The Journey Begins
Mentor Program Leads host a kickoff session where each pair meets and prepares for their first one-on-one.
Why it matters. Kickoff removes the awkward start. Everyone leaves knowing who their partner is, what the year looks like and what happens next.
What happens
- Participants meet their assigned partner.
- Roles are clarified.
- Expectations are discussed.
- Questions are answered.
- Pairs prepare for the first one-on-one meeting.
The mentee does
- Introduce yourself and your goals for the year.
- Schedule the first one-on-one before you leave.
The mentor does
- Share your background and how you can help.
- Set expectations for communication between meetings.
Kickoff informationKickoff email communicationStage 4 — Contract
Align Expectations Before You Begin.
Each pair agrees on goals, rhythm and boundaries in a short partnership agreement.
Why it matters. Most mentoring relationships drift because nobody agreed on what good looks like. Contracting takes twenty minutes and protects the entire year.
What happens
- The pair meets and agrees how they will work together.
- Development goals and desired outcomes are written down.
- Meeting rhythm, communication and boundaries are confirmed.
The mentee does
- Bring your development goals in writing.
- Propose meeting dates and a preferred rhythm.
The mentor does
- Share availability and boundaries clearly.
- Confirm confidentiality and feedback expectations.
More detail
What the pair agrees on
- Development goals
- Desired outcomes
- Meeting dates
- Meeting frequency
- Meeting length
- Preferred communication
- Confidentiality
- Boundaries
- Feedback expectations
- Cancellation expectations: 24-hour notice, rescheduled promptly
Stage 5 — Engage
The 1:1 Meeting Playbook
Two one-on-one meetings each month — roughly one-hour virtual conversations, though meetings may vary based on need.
Why it matters. Consistency is where growth actually happens. A prepared hour twice a month outperforms an occasional long catch-up every time.
What happens
- The mentee schedules and leads the meeting.
- Real leadership situations are worked through together.
- Each meeting ends with agreed actions.
The mentee does
- Schedule the meeting and send a short agenda.
- Bring one real situation, decision or challenge.
- Record commitments and complete them.
The mentor does
- Review progress on previous commitments.
- Ask questions before giving advice.
- Share promised resources afterward.
More detail
Before
- Mentee schedules the meeting.
- Mentee sends a short agenda.
- Review previous commitments.
- Bring one real situation, decision or challenge.
During
- Review progress.
- Ask questions before giving advice.
- Discuss real leadership situations.
- Connect discussion to goals.
- Agree on next actions.
After
- Mentee records commitments.
- Complete agreed actions and homework.
- Mentor shares promised resources.
- Raise concerns before the relationship drifts.
1:1 Meeting PlaybookRole GuidesStage 6 — Feedback
Measure Progress — Not Just Meetings.
Pulse surveys approximately every 45 days keep the relationship honest and let leads step in early.
Why it matters. Feedback surfaces problems while they are still fixable, and it proves the year is producing real development rather than attendance.
Your Feedback Is Confidential
Individual Mentor and Mentee survey responses are confidential and reviewed only by the Mentor Program Leads.
What happens
- Both brothers complete a short pulse survey about every 45 days.
- Mentor Program Leads review responses and coach where needed.
- A comprehensive end-of-year review closes the mentoring year.
The mentee does
- Answer honestly, including what is not working.
- Ask your mentor directly for feedback on your growth.
The mentor does
- Report on progress and engagement candidly.
- Raise concerns with the Mentor Program Leads early.
Mentor Pulse SurveyOnline survey coming soon.Mentee Pulse SurveyOnline survey coming soon.More detail
Why we measure
- Measure progress.
- Assess relationship quality.
- Surface problems early.
- Support coaching.
- Course-correct.
- Improve the program.
End-of-year review
- Measure outcomes.
- Evaluate goals.
- Capture lessons learned.
- Celebrate growth.
- Improve next year's program.
Mentor Pulse SurveyMentee Pulse SurveyEnd-of-Year ReviewStage 7 — Celebrate
Celebrate the Journey.
Successful completion is recognized publicly — growth, commitment, leadership and brotherhood earned over a full year.
Why it matters. Recognition matters. It marks what a brother built, and it shows the next class of undergraduates what this program is worth.
What happens
- Completion is reviewed at the end of the mentoring year.
- Mentees and mentors are recognized for the work they put in.
- The chapter celebrates the year together.
The mentee does
- Complete your final survey.
- Name what changed in your leadership this year.
The mentor does
- Complete your final survey.
- Decide whether to continue the relationship beyond the program year.
Mentor Final SurveyMentee Final Survey
Finish the year. Earn the recognition.
Recognition
Celebrate the Journey
- Professional Plaque
- SIGEP LEADERSHIP PADDLE
- End-of-Program Banquet
Growth. Commitment. Leadership. Brotherhood.
Recognition
How the year closes
Recognition for brothers who complete the full mentorship year.
Professional Plaque
A lasting mark of a year of committed leadership development.
SigEp Leadership Paddle
A brotherhood tradition earned through follow-through, not attendance.
End-of-Program Banquet
A shared celebration for those able to attend, with mentors and mentees together.