Virtual Alumni Mentoring Program
Pictured: Raquel Tatar, Ph.D., Wilkes Honors College alumnae and Alyssa Payne, senior and Flagler scholar, Wilkes Honors College
by Tim Steigenga | Wednesday, Feb 24, 2021
In 2020 with Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College alumni across the globe suddenly working from home, the wide access and use of virtual platforms became a catalyst for connecting willing alumni mentors looking to share their experiences with eager current students looking to maximize their preparations for post-graduate studies and employment.
Caitlin Saladrigas, chair of the Wilkes Honors College Alumni Network spearheaded a program resulting in 54 alumni-student mentoring pairings spanning shared academic concentrations in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
The mentoring pairs are projected to meet two to three times over the 2020/2021 academic year with an emphasis on discussing post-graduate plans and resume building.
“Even more than providing guidance and advice to current students, which was the original goal, this mentoring program has become a unique opportunity for meaningful connection between alumni and students who share the unrivaled academic experience the Wilkes Honors College provides,” said Caitlin. “We look forward to continuing to foster that connection through this program for years to come.”
Raquel Tatar, Ph.D., graduated from the Wilkes Honors College in 2010 with a concentration in psychology. She holds a Master of Science in Public Health in Epidemiology in Public Health from the University of Miami and a M.A. and Ph.D. in health Psychology and Affective Sciences from the University of California-Irvine. She currently serves as the director of assessment and analytics for the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and she recently became the director of research and measures at Healthy Minds Innovations, a Madison-based non-profit dedicated to bringing the science of well-being to practice through mobile applications.
Alyssa Payne is a senior Flagler Scholar at the Wilkes Honors College triple concentrating in neuroscience, psychology, and Spanish. After graduation, Alyssa plans to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology or clinical mental health counseling to foster a safe environment for patients to explore their personal growth.
For more information on the Alumni Network and the mentoring program visit: https://faualumni.org/wilkes-honors-college-alumni-network/