The Jumbo Network
Tufts' new online community, The Herd, offers the power of the Jumbo network worldwide. The platform connects alumni and students for networking conversations, career mentoring, job shadowing, projects, and other professional development activities.
The mission of The Herd is to build the Tufts community through purposeful connections and mentoring. In this global network, alumni have many options to engage and give back. They self-select how they prefer to interact with fellow alumni and students. Options include joining to offer career advice to alumni and students and/or to seek mentoring and professional connections for their own career development.
Alumni FAQs
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Who is eligible to join The Herd?
Alumni from the undergraduate and graduate programs in Arts & Sciences, Engineering and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts can join to both seek and offer advice and mentoring to other alumni and students. Faculty and staff can also join to offer advice and act as mentors.
Undergraduate students and graduate students from Arts & Sciences, Engineering and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts join to seek career networking and mentoring from alumni, faculty and staff.
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Can I register to network with other alumni only?
Yes, you can join as a user who only interacts with other alumni for networking and/or mentoring. First you’ll complete your profile. Signing up with LinkedIn will automatically fill in some of your info. Next, you'll update your settings to indicate who can see your profile, who you prefer to interact with, how you prefer to receive notifications, and how often.
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What do alumni mentors do?
Alumni become mentors for a variety of reasons. It feels great to pay it forward and help Tufts students and fellow alumni unlock their potential. You can also learn from your mentee (or even find the next hire for your team). Lastly, you are sure to build coaching and leadership skills along the way.
The student/alum mentee is expected to make first contact with you, and it's up to you and your mentee to decide how involved you want the mentoring experience to be. Your engagement could be a one-time conversation or you may wish to continue for a longer period of time. It is important that both you and your mentee set limits surrounding the mentoring relationship, e.g., methods of communication (email, phone, in person) and how often communication will occur.
DO:
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respond promptly to requests from students and alumni to connect and be clear about what they’re willing to do (including time they have available and kind of support they’re able to give)
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actively listen and help mentees arrive at conclusions by themselves
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share industry knowledge and expertise and coach mentees on particular skills/competencies
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share their own stories while respecting the differences between mentees’ dreams and mentors’ reality
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create a safe and trusting space for the delivery of information and feedback
DO NOT:
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have all the answers for their mentee
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initiate all contact with their mentee
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provide jobs or internship for the mentee
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try to offer support beyond the bounds of the mentoring relationship (e.g., as a financial advisor or professional counselor)
Two important notes:
- If at any point, mentors are no longer able to or want to participate in the program, they will notify all mentees about their situation as soon as possible.
- The Herd strives to maintain the utmost standard of professionalism in mentor-mentee relationships. If ever concerned by the unprofessional behavior of a mentor or mentee, participants should inform Tufts University Career Center staff at theherd@tufts.edu immediately.
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