The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) Mentor Program is designed to help CFANS undergraduate students make contacts in the Twin Cities business community and provide them an opportunity to enhance their professional skills. The program began in 1993 with 5 mentor matches and has grown to have approximately 100 matches per year. We have received tremendous support from alumni and friends over the years, many having mentored our students for several years.
Students who participate in this program are primarily sophomores and newly admitted juniors who are in the early stages of deciding upon a career path. These students have generally become well adjusted to college and can take full advantage of the career exploration and developmental opportunities that the mentor program offers. The guidance of a mentor is essential at this time to assist students in becoming more focused in their career goals and to develop professional skills they will need as they begin internships and move into the workplace.
The goals of the CFANS Mentor Program are to:
- Provide experienced and knowledgeable role models for undergraduates seeking careers in business.
- Provide informal advice and counsel for undergraduates seeking to clarify their career directions.
- Increase undergraduates' awareness of the variety and scope of economic activities in the business community.
- Increase the student's understanding of the entrepreneurial spirit and the range of opportunities available to business professionals in Minnesota.
We start each year’s mentor program in the fall with a Kick-Off event to facilitate the mentor’s and student’s initial contact and to provide them with tools to start the relationship off well. The mentoring activity occurs during fall and spring semesters concluding in mid-April. During the course of the program, mentors and students will receive information on events and activities especially appropriate for mentor participants.
Please invite colleagues who might also be able to provide a good mentor experience for one of our CFANS undergraduate students to apply for this rewarding program. | 
