APALSA and SALSA Affinity Mentoring Program
The APALSA and SALSA Affinity Mentoring Program provides students with the tools to guide their legal career and to better connect them with the UChicago Law alumni community. The APALSA and SALSA Affinity Mentoring Program facilitates mentoring relationships between 1Ls and alumni by pairing East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander law students with alumni mentors throughout the United States. Such relationships are invaluable, particularly in the first year of law school, when students are required to start thinking about how they will develop their legal careers. Through group events and individual meetings throughout the school year, the Pan-Asian Affinity Mentoring Program facilitates fruitful, sustainable, and meaningful mentor-mentee relationships for all participants.
To sign-up for the program, please click on the appropriate link below:
For Mentors: Overview of the 2024-2025 APALSA and SALSA Affinity Mentoring Program
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 2024 through June 2025. 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
- 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
The APALSA and SALSA Affinity Mentoring Program Student Board will provide mentees with direction throughout the program on how to maximize the value of the mentoring relationship.
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 Anna Jenkins at annajenkins274@uchicago.edu.
Important Dates:
- September 23 - Sign-up form opens for alumni volunteers
- September 23 - Sign-up form opens for 1Ls
- September 30 - First day of classes
- October 11 – Deadline to sign-up as either a mentor or mentee
- Late October – Mentors and Mentees will be matched via email
- June 27 - Program conclusion
Are there any program-sponsored events?
In place of the Affinity Mentoring Program Kickoff event and the small cohort dinners this year, we will be providing a stipend to 1L Mentees for a coffee or lunch with their mentors. This change is designed to foster more meaningful, one-on-one interactions between students and their mentors. By facilitating these personalized meetings, we aim to enhance engagement and support throughout the mentoring process. We strongly encourage mentees to take the initiative in scheduling these meetings, as we believe that a student-driven approach will further enrich the mentoring relationship and ensure that it meets their unique needs. We are confident that this tailored interaction will better serve our mentees and strengthen their overall experience.
To help guide the mentoring relationship, the Office of External Affairs and APALSA/SALSA student board will reach out periodically.
How do I sign-up?
To sign-up to participate as a APALSA and SALSA mentor, please complete the sign-up form by 5:00 PM CT on Friday, October 11. Please note, the sign-up will open in the early Fall.
For Mentees: Affinity Mentoring Program FAQs
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 2024 through June 2025.
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:
- Come up with 3-5 goals you hope to accomplish with the help of your mentor
- Meet in person or virtually with your mentor once per quarter
- 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 one Alumni Mentoring Program 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 23 - Sign-up form opens for alumni volunteers
- September 23 - Sign-up form opens for 1Ls
- September 30 - First day of classes
- October 11 – Deadline to sign-up as either a mentor or mentee
- Late October – Mentors and Mentees will be matched via email
- November – April - 1L Mentees will offered reimbursements to take their Mentors to lunch or coffee
- June 27 - 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 11.
Who should I contact if I have additional questions?
Please contact the Office of External Affairs at alumni@law.uchicago.edu or
Anna Jenkins, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, annajenkins274@uchicago.edu.