CAP Mentorship Program (CAP MP!)
Mentoring is a vital step in supporting CAP students both in school and in their understanding of their chosen career paths. Additionally, it’s a rich and valuable opportunity for experienced professionals to share their skills and knowledge while demystifying the transition from the academic to the professional realm.
Recruitment is in the fall and the program runs during the academic year. Once we reach capacity, we will close enrollment, but you can join us the following year!
Program Structure
Mentorship builds confidence and knowledge in students as they migrate from academia to practice. It’s mutually beneficial for both the mentor and mentee in generating enthusiasm, sharing knowledge and engendering curiosity. CAP MP! is structured as follows:
- CAP MP! is an online mentorship platform through which you will be matched with a mentor/mentee after completing your mentorship profile.
- The mentorship pairing will be in effect throughout the academic year, beginning in the fall and ending after the spring semester.
- Each month, mentorship teams are given a prompt for activities related to the profession or beginning a job search.
- We want you to have fun! Activities will range in size and we look forward to having social events as well!
- We encourage individuals to maintain a professional relationship even after the official mentoring period has passed. It’s all part of building your network!
Mentor Responsibilities
- Act as an advisor and coach: provide guidance, share experience, explain processes, give feedback
- Share experiences: visit job sites, discuss research or community work, attend lectures
- Offer resources and recommendations: suggest books, precedents, tutorials and/or podcasts that will assist students in their personal growth
- Cheerlead: provide encouragement in trying new things, celebrate successes, help process missteps and mistakes
- Listen and ask: don’t provide all the answers, ask questions, accept that failure is essential to learning
Mentee Responsibilities
- Be coachable: listen, ask questions, seek clarification and remember that your role is to learn
- Be enthusiastic: your mentor’s time is valuable and you should actively receive information, demonstrate curiosity and express appreciation
- Take risks: welcome new opportunities and recommendations that are outside of your comfort zone
- Be reliable: arrive on time, call/email as promised, don’t reschedule unless unavoidable
- Be respectful: express appreciation, honor your mentor’s busy schedule, be mindful of time
Mentorship Program Contact
Jen Skidmore
(they/them)
Director Of Professional Development and Internships
- Administration and Instruction Services (CAP)
Email Address:jen.skidmore@ucdenver.edu
Jen Skidmore (they/them) joined CAP with eight years of experience leading career services & internships in higher education. Jen's career has focused primarily on career coaching, professional development curriculum, fairs, and building programs that advance equity for marginalized students. Jen is driven by a passion for equity, access, and student success.
Jen's professional background includes working as the Career Services Coordinator and later as the Director of Student Development at the University of Nebraska Lincoln’s College of Engineering, supporting over 3,000 engineering students across three campuses. They also worked in the financial literacy realm promoting financial wellness coaching, trainings, programs, and best practices to students. They have additional experience in recruiting students to retention programs, building strong relationships and partnerships with employers, and leading DEI trainings.
Education, Licensure & Certifications
The Ohio State University, 2012
Masters in Higher Education & Student Affairs
The University of Texas at Austin, 2010
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
Minor in Biology
Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, 2016