Reciprocal Alumni Leadership Mentoring (RALM)

TBA. This innovative approach to mentoring is rising in popularity. As a student, reciprocal mentoring allows you to work with and build a long-lasting relationship with an experienced alumnus willing to share their wisdom to enhance your future leadership capacity. A relationship where you can develop your capacity to serve as both a mentee (learning from the alumnus’ professional expertise) and mentor (sharing your own knowledge with an alumnus whether it’s regarding social media, diversity, and more). This collaborative strategy allows individual expertise and institutional knowledge to be shared across generations for expansive mutual learning. Reciprocal leadership can be seen as an important tool for today’s complex workplace. It is used in major corporations such as Target, UnitedHealthcare, Proctor & Gamble and more. It gives you the opportunity not typical in traditional mentoring, to learn, share your perspective, and contribute to the larger dialogue about the direction of work as well as issues that are important to you. Be ready to be changed in the process, contribute to the growth of others, and be an active participant in the future of work. And as a result, enhance your capacity to be a leader.  

What benefits can you expect from being mentored? 

As a result of mentoring, students can achieve: 

• Enhanced career mobility 
• Increased adaptability when facing new situations 
• Improved professional identity 
• Greater professional competence 
• Increased career satisfaction 
• Decreased job stress and role conflict 

What benefits can you expect from being a mentor?

As a result of mentoring, mentors can achieve: 

• More job satisfaction  
• More organizational commitment  

(excerpts from the Center for Creative Leadership, 2022) 

For more information email Kim Trahan at kzt74@psu.edu