CAP Mentorship Program | CAP MP!
Mentorship is a transformative experience that can support a student’s academic success and career preparation. CAP’s mentorship programs are designed to align with each academic semester so that goals can correspond with academic work. Every CAP student is invited to participate in the Mentorship Programs!
At the beginning of each semester, students receive emails about finding a Mentor. We recommend that you join or find a Mentor at the beginning of the semester for the best alignment with coursework during the semester, but we support partnerships that form throughout the academic year.
CAP offers two mentorship programs, and you can choose to be a part of one or both each semester.
- The Professional Mentorship Program – This program pairs working professionals with students to provide a rich and valuable opportunity for professionals to share their skills and experiences to demystify the transition from academic to professional practice.
- The Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Mentorship Program – Pairing CAP upper-class or graduate student mentors with newer and undergraduate students can help students achieve greater satisfaction and support along their academic journeys.
CAP students may participate in both programs: as a mentee in the Professional program, and either a mentor or mentee in the Peer-to-Peer program.
Program Highlights
- Efficient: our profile questionnaire is designed to help match you with those with similar interests or backgrounds.
- Flexible: choose from a variety of provided prompts, time commitment: The time commitment can be as little as 1 hour per month, but many students use their mentorships to work on resumes and portfolios which can take more time.
- Fun: some of our suggestions will get you out and about, as much or as little as you'd like.
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!
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