As alumni move to new locations, and get settled in their jobs, they do need a way to fellowship with their peers and make connections. Singles ministries are a valuable resource, but they meet a very different need than Alumni Connect.
How is a mentor different?
Singles ministries are often grouped by life-stage, and while this has some value, especially for meeting a spouse, alumni need a way to connect with people who have already walked this road and have valuable wisdom to share.
A mentor is older, which means they bring years of experience someone younger does not yet have. They’ve been established in their career for some time, and have learned from their own mistakes and successes.
They can share valuable experience from the years they’ve been in the workforce—what they’ve learned about working with other people, pursuing a career, and what it means to walk with God day in and day out.
College and career classes are often in a constant state of change. Singles move, get married, and must balance hectic schedules. This can make it hard to have grounded, long-term relationships that go deep and span more than a few months or a year. And if alumni are not able to make every event, they can sometimes go a whole month or more between meetings.
A mentor, on the other hand, is focused on one-to-one discipleship. Working with a mentor, alumni can find a time and method that works well for them. It might mean doing a call once a week vs. an in-person meeting. It might be grabbing a cup of coffee at a cafe with their mentor in the midst of a crazy week at work.
With a mentor, alumni are also able to bring up issues, talk through them, and get wisdom and encouragement as they strive to serve God right where they are. Group settings are limited in scope and even the time they have dedicated for talking through a specific challenge. It can also be intimidating to share on a personal level in a meeting, but talking with someone one-on-one breaks down barriers.
Mentors play a unique role in edifying alumni, and many people don’t realize the value they can bring as a mentor. Please pray that God would help us connect with potential mentors, and for them to see the rich wisdom they have to offer alumni.