From the Nominator

"Mentorship is an important source of guidance for students and young graduates throughout their degrees and early professional lives. Launched in 2021, the McGill Black Mentorship Program (MBMP) and the McGill Women’s Mentorship Program (MWMP) were born from a need to ensure equity-seeking groups are provided with a diverse and inclusive mentorship experience. These programs were established in response to McGill’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategic Plan and the Plan to Address Anti-Black Racism (ABR), which strive to ensure equitable and inclusive opportunities and a sense of belonging for members of the McGill community, both on-campus and within the global alumni network.       

Spearheaded by alumni relations, both programs were championed by alumni volunteers in collaboration with the McGill Alumni Association and McGill’s Equity & Academic Policies unit.   

MBMP, an eight-month mentorship initiative by the McGill Black Alumni Association, successfully provided Black students with the opportunity to explore their academic, personal, and professional goals with the guidance and support of Black alumni, faculty, and staff, who shared their experiences, knowledge, and advice.  

MWMP, a six-month initiative by the McGill Women’s Alumnae Association, facilitated mentoring relationships between C-level and mid-career women graduates and young alumnae seeking guidance, feedback, and new career perspectives.     

Both programs play a vital role in furthering the principles and practices of EDI at McGill, enhancing the student experience, and deepening alumni engagement. These programs will become a pillar of our volunteer groups’ annual engagement strategies."

From the Judges

We appreciated the intentional methodology accompanied by impressive results. This project not only serves as a model for other institutions based on quality, but it can be replicated. The impact was very high for the resources allocated.