January 21, 2025
What interested you in pursuing the career that you are in now? What did the process look like to go into your career and what does it look like now? Did you always know what you wanted to dedicate your time to? How do you spend your time outside of your career?
I paused—these were good questions from my mentee, a senior at MPA. It made me think back on my career path and the turns that led me to the niche I find myself in today. I thought back on the years of figuring out “what I wanted to be.” Now I have the opportunity to share my experience—what would have been helpful for me to hear 20-plus years ago?
I first started participating in MPA’s Mentorship Program a few years ago. As part of this program, development manager Angie Gerstner thoughtfully pairs each MPA senior with an MPA alum who shares the interests or career field that the student is thinking about pursuing.
Over a few months, each mentor and mentee share a few emails with the senior leading the questions to help get to know one another, discuss college and career paths, and share challenges and general advice. The program concludes with an informal Alumni Meet & Greet each January on campus (open to all alums, not just mentors!), during which MPA seniors can ask questions of alums across all career sectors and during which alums can reconnect.
As a mentor, it has been a truly rewarding experience to connect with students as they are applying to college and thinking about all the opportunities awaiting them. The students are incredibly passionate, excited, and curious. I cheered on my mentee as she received the college acceptance letter she was hoping for and thanked her for book recommendations from her literature classes (such as “The Late Homecomer,” by Kao Kali Yang, an author from the Twin Cities). As an alum, it has been amazing to watch MPA build the Mentorship Program for seniors, encourage them to ask important questions as they weigh different career paths, and be a small part of the alum network to help empower young adults with practical experiences and advice.
If you are considering ways to volunteer in 2025 or ways that you might want to reconnect with MPA or alums, I highly recommend the MPA Mentorship Program! Though the time commitment is minimal, your insight into your own unique professional path and experiences could make a lasting impact. If interested, alums can send Angie an email at any time (agerstner@moundsparkacademy.org) to share your career field—you never know when it will be the perfect fit with a senior Panther and an enriching experience to your own life as a mentor in the new year!
Sincerely,
Clare Halloran ’03
