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CORE Mentorship Program

Mentee applications for the 2022-23 Program are now closed. Applications for the 2023-24 Program will be open in August 2023. If you have any questions, please contact cultural.diversity@uoguelph.ca 


What is CORE?

CORE (Creating Opportunities for Racial Equity) is a mentorship program for Black and racialized students at the University of Guelph. CORE pairs upper-year (second year and above) Black and racialized students with a Black or racialized professional, staff or faculty in an area of the student’s interest to support students with building meaningful connections, developing a strong social and professional network, and establishing a community on campus and in Guelph broadly. If you have any further inquiries about the program, please contact the Cultural Diversity team in Student Experience by emailing cultural.diversity@uoguelph.ca 

By participating in the CORE Mentorship Program, you will
  • get connected to professionals who can guide you in navigating challenges and barriers you might experience in either school or the workplace. Mentoring relationships established through CORE are intended to support academic success, career preparation and retention, social engagement, networking, and more!
  • have the opportunity to attend monthly workshops and events that are specifically designed to build social networks and transferable skills. These include career-building seminars, academic information sessions, and discussions on navigating identity-based experiences in the workplace.
  • be part of a community that understands your experiences as a Black or racialized individual, and supports you in identifying and achieving your personal and professional goals. Through CORE, you will be connected with fellow Black and racialized U of G students, as well as Black and racialized professionals across various disciplines who can help guide you in your academic, professional, and personal journeys.
To be eligible for the CORE Mentorship Program, you must:
  • Be a U of G undergraduate student in second year or above 
  • Identify as Black or racialized
  • Be 18 years of age or above

If you are a first-year student who t is not yet eligible for this program, there are many other programs that Student Experience offers to support you in your academic and personal goals. Visit uoguelph.ca/studentexperience/new-students.

Hear from our past participants!

"The CORE mentorship program has really helped me a lot both academically and in my personal life. It gave me the guidance on academics and career paths that I had been looking for and the conversations I had were inspiring and empowering.  I truly believe the connection I made will last a lifetime." – Bio-Medical Science student, 3rd year

"[My mentor and I] are able to talk about almost everything and I feel very safe and comfortable with her. These are definitely the highlights of my week and I always look forward to the meetings” – Animal Biology Student, 2nd year

"My mentor is great! We really connected and clicked! She's given me a lot of advice and connected me to a lot of resources and people. She given me a safe space to talk about issues that I can't normally talk to someone who is not [Black and racialized]. I feel like this mentorship will continue beyond this program” - Bio-Medical Science student, 3rd year

“I have seen a lot of personal growth and increase in self-confidence”. – Biological Science Student, 2nd year

“I love the feeling that I am supported and someone reliable and knowledgeable is there to listen to my concerns and help guide me”. – Psychology student, 4th year

Resources

CORE Mentee / Mentor Guides: These guides provides an overview of the CORE Mentorship Program, outlines program objectives, and details the mentee’s and mentor’s roles in the program.

CORE Icebreakers 2022-23: Icebreaker questions and activities to support you in building your relationship with your mentor/mentee.

Active Listening Training: Workshop on building active listening skills, facilitated by Student Wellness.

SMART Goals Training: Workshop on goal-setting, facilitated by the McLaughlin Library.

Mentee Workshops

All mentees are required to attend at least one workshop per semester for successful completions of the CORE Mentorship Program.

Interview Skills Workshop

Tue Oct 18, 12 - 1:30 p.m. | Online, Watch the recording here.
Learn how to stand out in an interview! Facilitated by the Lang School of Business.
 

Resume Skills Workshop

Wed Nov 9, 3:30 - 5 p.m. | Online, Watch the recording here.
Learn how to build a resume, what to include on it, an EDI approach to resumes, and the basics of resume skill writing. Facilitated by the Experiential Learning Hub.
 

"Your Brand Matters" Networking Workshop

Tue Nov 29, 5 - 6:30 p.m. | University Club (UC, 5th floor)
Learn the essentials of what makes a great personal brand, first impression, professional presence, and elevator pitch! Facilitated by RBC on Campus. Stick around afterwards for an end-of-semester Networking and Holiday Social for CORE Participants!