Make a Difference, Become an Alumni Mentor!

The Data Science Alumni Mentorship Hub--a pilot program launching in spring 2025--offers a low-commitment opportunity to support recent graduates and current students who may be feeling unsure or overwhelmed about their first steps into the professional world.

Your experiences—navigating career choices, adapting to new roles, or finding a path forward—can make a real difference to someone who’s just beginning. By sharing what you’ve learned, you can offer comfort and reassurance to someone facing similar challenges, helping them feel more confident and supported.

Knowing that your advice might ease someone’s path or give them clarity is a special feeling, and it’s a way to deepen your connection to our UC Berkeley Data Science community. If this sounds meaningful to you, we’d love for you to join our program.

Quick Overview

  • How it works: Once the hub opens each term, students and recent graduates can browse mentor profiles and request advice from alumni who share their areas of interest. We’ll then help set up an initial advice-focused Zoom meeting, creating a space for you to share your expertise and insights directly with a mentee.
     
  • Commitment: one 30-60-minute zoom meeting with each mentee selected by the program during the term
    • Summer term commitment: 2 mentees
    • Fall/Spring term commitment: 3 mentees
       
  • What will you talk about? You can select from a number of topics you're open to discussing, such as your experience in your role or industry, your career journey, or resume advice. We will advertise your topics on the hub. 
     
  • Can I do more? Yes! Mentors can go above and beyond by continuing to support a mentee beyond the 1:1 meeting. The most engaged mentors will be recognized on our website for their dedicated service and will receive a thank you gift from Data Science Undergraduate Studies. 

Questions?

Email: Brandilyn Buckley at brandilyn@berkeley.edu

Summer 2025 Cohort Timeline

  • Early May: Mentor recruitment and selection finalized
  • May 20: Summer cohort mentor profiles on Hub
  • May 27: Summer mentee connection request window opens
  • Aug 15: Summer program ends

 

Fall 2025 Cohort Timeline

  • Mid-July: Mentor Interest Form opens (if spots available)
  • Early Aug: Mentor recruitment and selection finalized
  • Aug 20: Fall cohort mentor profiles on Hub
  • Aug 27: Fall mentee connection request window opens
  • Dec 19: Fall program ends

FAQ

Mentor requirements: 

  • Must be an alum of the UC Berkeley Data Science BA program or a UC Berkeley alum working in a Data Science role
  • Must have been employed in a data role for a minimum of 2 years (note: less common careers are fantastic as long as they use data skill sets!)
  • Must be available to provide one 30-60-minute mentee meeting per mentee for the term for which you will be a mentor
    • Summer term commitment: 2 mentees
    • Fall/Spring term commitment: 3 mentees
  • Must be prepared to answer mentee questions or discuss experiences in a genuine but encouraging way

Mentors can have, but DO NOT NEED:

  • Knowledge of job openings 
  • Advice for finding employment or internships
  • Tips for job or graduate school applications

We collect interests forms on a rolling basis. If a cohort is in progress, it is rare we will add a mentor mid-term, but we look forward to considering you for a future cohort!

If you have are unsure about whether or not you meet these requirements, submit an interest form!

Mentees are Berkeley Data Science alumni or current Berkeley Data Science students with priority given to those nearing graduation. Alumni can be at any stage of their careers, but priority will be given to those actively searching for jobs or exploring a career change. 

  1. Mentees will review available mentors on our website and submit a connection request to DSUS. We will then email you to ensure you are available and think you can support the mentee with their questions. We will share available details about what the mentee wishes to discuss, but will pre-screen for major mismatches. 
  2. You will have 1 week to reply, at which point you can share your upcoming availability and raise any questions. 
  3. We will then email you and the mentee to facilitate an introduction and allow you to schedule your Zoom meeting within the general timeframe discussed. 
  4. After the meeting, we will contact you with a feedback form that assesses your experience.

What happens if I'm unavailable? 

If there are specific times during the term where you know you'll be unavailable, let us know in advance and we'll waitlist any connection requests until you return. 

If you happen to be extra busy when we contact you, we can facilitate you planning your meeting for a future date, ideally no more than one month out. 

If you become unexpectedly busy and can no longer participate in the program that term, let us know as soon as possible.

You can cite a preference for students you would be particularly excited to work with (ex: transfer students, first-gen, international). We will do our best to look out for matches based on these preferences, especially when a mentee is open to meeting with multiple mentors. 

However, to keep our program's access open and equitable, mentors cannot turn down a mentee connection request based on the mentee's identity or membership in a particular group. 

A mentor can decide whether or not to offer additional follow up support beyond the one-on-one meeting facilitated by the program based on their personal feelings of connection with particular mentees.

Submit our mentor interest form! You can use this form to tell us about yourself and ask additional questions before committing. 

Actively seeking...

We have high demand for mentors across all data roles and industries. We especially encourage applications from:

  • Former international students
  • Those with first-gen, low-income, or underrepresented backgrounds
  • Individuals who overcame career-seeking challenges like networking anxiety or self-doubt
  • Those offering resume reviews, job search, or interview advice

All qualified candidates are welcome to apply--we have plenty of demand outside of these categories as well!

Note: Sharing aspects of your identity is always optional but can help match you with mentees seeking similar perspectives. If you are unsure about sharing aspects of your identity publicly, we are happy to discuss options. 

Submit your Interest Form

Please check back in July 2025 for interest forms for the Fall mentors cohort. 

To ensure you don't miss an open mentors interest form cycle, subscribe to our mailing list!

 

Alumni Mailing List: Subscribe

* indicates required
 
 
 

Questions?

Email Brandilyn Buckley at brandilyn@berkeley.edu with any questions you have about becoming a mentor or the program in general! We'd love to hear from you.