The Power of Tufts Mentorship Program: Giving Back and Gaining More

“Giving back to Tufts is not one-sided. You’re always going to get something out of it, whether it’s making a connection to somebody or feeling more connected with the university.”

The Lifelong Impact of the Tufts Community

When Jennifer Covell, J86, first set foot on the Tufts campus as a visiting high school student, she was captivated by the beautiful environment and the close-knit community. However, she didn’t yet realize how profoundly Tufts would influence not just her academic journey but also her professional and personal growth. 

From majoring in English at Tufts and venturing into the book publishing industry to becoming a seasoned lawyer and an avid mentor in the Tufts alumni community, Jennifer never stopped seeking her next challenge, and her path has been unexpectedly rewarding.  

Pivoting From English to Law

When Jennifer started at Tufts University as a freshman, she considered a variety of academic options. “I really took advantage of the full liberal arts experience,” she reflects. After exploring psychology and economics, Jennifer found her true passion in literature and writing.

Working as an Arts Editor at The Tufts Daily, Jennifer honed her writing and time management skills. Her love for storytelling led to an internship at Simon & Schuster through a scholarship program specifically for Tufts graduates. That experience helped her launch a five-year career in book publishing.

But Jennifer’s story didn’t end there. After several years in the publishing world, she began craving a new challenge. It was at a Tufts alumni event in New York City that she found the inspiration to leap into her next chapter. 

“Sitting there, I said to myself, ‘I need to go back to school. I need to be in an academic environment. I need to figure out what's next.’ … That was an event that got me thinking in that direction—that [I wasn’t] being sufficiently challenged,” Jennifer recalls.

From there, Jennifer contemplated her strengths to determine her next career move. The robust analytical thinking, research, and writing skills attained through her English degree pointed her to law school, which laid the foundation for her success as a lawyer. She eventually became Associate General Counsel at New York Life Insurance Company.

Giving Back: Supporting Tufts Lawyers as a Leader and a Mentor  

The life-changing alumni event in New York City that ignited her pursuit of a law degree instilled in Jennifer a deep desire to contribute to the Tufts community. After working in the legal field for a few years, Jennifer embarked on her next adventure: getting involved in the Tufts alumni community. In the early 2000s, she was one of the first members of the Tufts Lawyers Association (TLA). 

“Another alum had this idea to start the association. It’s an affinity organization for those of us who are lawyers—to network with each other, use each other as resources—but also provide guidance and resources to undergrads who are thinking about applying to law school or being lawyers,” Jennifer says. This initial step opened the door to more leadership roles within the alumni community. She later served as the president of the Tufts Lawyers Association and the Tufts University Alumni Association. 

As she became more engaged, Jennifer saw firsthand the impact of the Jumbo Network on students and fellow graduates. Last year, she signed up for the TLA’s mentorship program to support young professionals’ career growth. 

Making Connections and Landing Jobs: A Mentorship Success Story 

“I decided to sign up to be a mentor, and it turned out to be a mentor's dream experience,” Jennifer shares. “One of my mentee’s goals was to try to transition. She was at a private firm, and she had been in the public sector prior. She really wanted to make the transition back to working in the not-for-profit or public sector.”

As they discussed career strategies, Jennifer suggested that her mentee browse her LinkedIn connections to identify potential networking opportunities. Through the network, Jennifer introduced her mentee to one of her law school friends, who was also a Tufts alum. 

“He works at a not-for-profit, and I thought he would be a good person for my mentee to speak to, just to get the lay of the land and figure out how to transition,” Jennifer says. As she was making the connection for her mentee, Jennifer noticed that this contact was actively hiring for an associate general counsel at his organization. She immediately reached out to her mentee and encouraged her to apply for the position.

“In the course of her connecting with him—because I had already thought of the two of them as a good fit for just networking—she said to him, ‘By the way, I plan on applying for this role.’ As it turned out, she went through the process. She applied for it, and she got the position. She's been working there for maybe a few months now.” 

For Jennifer, this experience not only gave her a sense of accomplishment but also became her driving force to continue her mentoring journey. She is now also available on The Herd, ready to support more Tufts students and graduates.

Gaining More: The Value of Being a Mentor

Mentoring is not one-sided. The true power of mentorship lies in the mutual growth of the mentor and mentee. Reflecting on her involvement in the Tufts community, Jennifer realizes she didn’t just give back—she gained. She found a community of like-minded people and developed friendships with her mentees. By giving guidance and advice to them, she also increased her level of confidence and decision-making skills, which directly impacted her career.

Case in point: During one phase of her career, Jennifer went from working as a temporary employee to securing a full-time position by proving her worth and advocating for herself. She recalls, “After working there for a few months, I basically said to the CEO, ‘You know I like it here. It seems like you need me for the following reasons; therefore, you should hire me.’ And he did.” Cases like this made Jennifer believe that the confidence she developed through her years as a mentor empowered her professional success.

What’s more, Jennifer found her purpose through mentoring. “I've also found that I enjoy connecting with people. Helping people connect and helping people advance their careers is important to me.”

How You Can Start Mentoring—Jennifer’s Advice

There is a misconception that mentoring is complicated and time-consuming. It’s actually very straightforward. “It's kind of an easy time commitment. You just have to show up and do what you can to help guide that person along. But you don't have to do a lot of the heavy lifting,” Jennifer says. Most mentorship programs encourage the mentee to drive the meetings and set up agendas, which makes it more manageable for mentors and focuses more on the mentee’s specific needs.

Jennifer also shares that while she prefers in-person meetings, the option to mentor others online adds another level of flexibility for her to connect with mentees from a wider range of geographic areas. “That's an easy thing, especially now with Zoom or Teams or whatever the mechanism is. We can do this remotely.” 

How Can Mentees Make the Most of Mentoring Relationships?

If you want to find a mentor and leverage your mentoring relationship to the fullest, Jennifer has some helpful tips to set you up for success:

• Clarify your goals with your mentor

If you want to benefit from a mentorship experience, setting goals early on is key. “As a mentee, you have to know why you want a mentor. You need to have goals, whether they're short-term goals like ‘what's my next career move’ or a five-year plan,” Jennifer recommends.

• Don’t be afraid to reach out

If you are looking for a mentor, being proactive is the first step. Leverage resources like LinkedIn, The Herd, and the Tufts Alumni Association to make connections. “You hear the term networking thrown around, and it sounds very intimidating, but it doesn't have to be,” Jennifer says. “Don't shy away from reaching out to people because, especially at Tufts, they welcome being contacted.” 

• Be genuine and build rapport 

Jennifer emphasizes that presenting your authentic self can strengthen your mentoring relationship. Asking questions and being genuinely curious about your mentor’s life and professional journey will go a long way. Reflecting on her early career, Jennifer would search in a database to find lawyers to connect with. “I literally would write to those people and reach out and say, ‘Would you be willing to sit for an informational meeting?’ That doesn't necessarily mean I want a job from them but just to find out what they do and what their career path was.”

• Trust the process

“An informational interview one day could lead to your next job, or it could lead to the connection to your next job,” Jennifer says. Taking the time and continuous efforts to expand your network will pay off.

“You just never know when that's going to happen … but it has happened to me,” Jennifer recalls. When Jennifer was a practicing attorney, her intern was looking for a position. By coincidence, one of Jennifer’s college friends, who was a lawyer, reached out for recommendations to fill a junior associate role. Jennifer connected the two of them and successfully helped her intern launch the job. “Timing is everything.” 

Finding Purpose as an Active Member in the Tufts Jumbo Network

From publishing to law, from student to alumni leader, Jennifer keeps enriching her life through her contribution to the Tufts community. As Jennifer continues her mentoring endeavor, she encourages other Tufts students and alumni to join her journey of giving back. Whether you’re looking to expand your network, gain leadership experience, or simply reconnect with fellow Jumbos, mentorship is an easy yet powerful way to make a difference.

“The network of Tufts people is a great group. There's something special about us. And it's why I keep doing what I do.”  ~ Jennifer Covell, J86

So, are you ready to make an impact in our community? Whether you’re a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, there’s always a way to give back, stay engaged, and strengthen the Jumbo Network. Take your next step to get involved!