Who participates in the program? 
The BLSA Mentoring Program is open to all incoming law students, many of whom identify as African American. Incoming 1Ls will have the unique opportunity to connect with local alumni in a variety of legal fields. Our students have expressed interest in fields ranging from law firms to public interest and government sector careers. 

What is expected of me as a mentor?
The mentoring program spans the academic year. Therefore, we ask that mentors commit to being involved in the program from November 2023 through June 2024. Your level of involvement with your mentee is to be determined by you and your mentee. We are aware that your schedule is busy, and your time is valuable. We hope that at a minimum you will:

• Meet in-person or virtually with your mentee once each quarter
• Participate in one or more group events
• Communicate with your mentee via email or phone periodically as agreed upon by you and your mentee, and
• Provide feedback, guidance, and encouragement to your mentee.

What if I am not able to commit to being an alumni mentor?
If you are unable to commit to being a mentor for the full academic year but would still like to be involved, please email Maureen Horonzy at mhoronzy@uchicago.edu. We are happy to include you on invitations to approximately two mentoring program-related events during the academic year to connect with fellow alumni and law students.

Important Dates:

• September 18 - Sign-up form opens for alumni volunteers
• September 21 - Sign-up form opens for 1Ls
• September 26 - First day of classes
• October 13 – Deadline to sign-up as either a mentor or mentee
• Late October – Mentors and Mentees will be matched via email 
• November 14 – Kick-off Event (In-person; Location TBD)
• February – April - Small group event (Typically a dinner; Details to be shared at a later date)
• June 30 - Program conclusion

What are the program-sponsored events?
The program will include a Kickoff Reception on November 14, 2023 where mentees and mentors can meet one another. We will also schedule small-group events during the winter quarter. In addition to sponsored events, mentors and mentees will correspond throughout the year. To help guide the mentoring relationship, the Office of External Affairs and BLSA student board will reach out periodically.

How do I sign-up? 
To sign-up to participate as a BLSA mentor, please complete the sign-up form by 5:00 PM CT on Friday, October 13. Please note, the sign-up will open in the early Fall.

What is expected of me as a mentee?
The mentoring programs span the length of the academic year. Therefore, we ask that all mentees to commit to being involved in the program from November 2023 through June 2024.

Your level of involvement with your mentor is entirely up to you and your mentor. Please remember that mentors have very busy schedules and that their time is valuable. During your first meeting, we encourage you and your mentor to discuss your expectations for the year with each other, including meeting/discussion frequency, meeting location, and medium for communication. The Law School will provide more information to guide your mentorship.

Be respectful of the time commitment required of mentors and make sure to respond promptly to communications, be punctual to events, and honor all commitments. We hope that at a minimum you will:

• Meet in person or virtually with your mentor once per quarter
• Participate in group events throughout the year, 
• Communicate with your mentor via email, phone, or Zoom periodically as agreed upon by you and your mentor

While this program is designed for one academic year, we hope your mentoring relationship continues past your 1L year.

As a reminder, students may participate in a maximum of two Alumni Mentoring Programs to ensure the best experience for both student mentees and alumni mentors (The Law School Big/Little Sibling program is not included in this limitation).

For additional information, please see the Mentoring Program FAQs. 

Important Dates:

• September 18 - Sign-up form opens for alumni volunteers
• September 21 - Sign-up form opens for 1Ls
• September 26 - First day of classes
• October 13 – Deadline to sign-up as either a mentor or mentee
• Late October – Mentors and Mentees will be matched via email 
• November 1 - "What To Expect" Presentation for student mentees
• November 14 – Kick-off Event (In-person; Location TBD)
• February – April - Small group event (Typically a dinner; Details to be shared at a later date)
• June 30 - Program conclusion

How do I sign-up? 
To sign-up to participate as a mentee in the program, please complete the sign-up form by 5:00 PM CT on Friday, October 13. 

Please contact the Office of External Affairs at alumni@law.uchicago.edu or Anna Jenkins, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, annajenkins274@uchicago.edu.