Starting a new graduate program can be an intimidating step towards a student’s future goals. An accelerated master’s program presents the added challenge of navigating concentrated courses and lab work while preparing to start an internship just 9 months later.
 
To help bioinformatics graduate students navigate their way through their studies, career development and personal lives, the Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program’s (KCGIP) bioinformatics track created the Mentorship Program, designed to build community, and alleviate some of that intimidation. Now entering its third year, the program pairs new bioinformatics track students with track alumni. 
 
“KCGIP's alumni network has always been the cornerstone of student success - consistently paying it forward by reconnecting with the program, current students, and other alumni. This mentorship program allows the bioinformatics alumni an opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge gained since graduation.” said Allison Fujinaga, KCGIP Student Recruiter and Advisor and manager of the Mentorship Program. 
 
The mentors offer students’ academic, professional, and life advice and act as a constant presence of support in their graduate school experience. 
 
“Having a mentor definitely helped me feel more secure in my career path. When we got our initial internship offers, I had to make the difficult decision between two of my top choices and each lab would have resulted in very different experiences and career trajectories. Alexa, my mentor, knew that I would benefit from talking it out with someone, so she and I had a long conversation, where I was basically thinking out loud and taking her along with my decision process” said recent bioinformatics alum, Jessica Salguero. 
 
The program aims to help students reach their academic goals and make them feel more confident and comfortable as they navigate graduate school. 
 
“My mentor, Morgan, was very reassuring and motivating. I always came away from our meetings with a renewed sense of excitement for my career, having seen how much she was enjoying hers,” said Jack Peplinski, a recent bioinformatics alum.
 
The mentorship program has been a positive force of support as bioinformatics students start their professional journeys in the program, and it will continue to leave a meaningful impact on the lives of students and alumni alike. 
 
“The best thing about mentors is having someone who has gone through the same process,” says Fujinaga, “Talking to someone who has made it through makes the future less scary and learning what worked for them gives students tools for the present.”