Tri-Mentoring Program
Launched in 2001, the award-winning UBC Computer Science Tri-Mentoring program is currently the largest mentoring program in the Faculty of Science. The tri-level structure forms a triad of an industry or faculty mentor, with a 3rd or 4th year student as senior mentee and a 2nd year student as junior mentee. Student mentees connect with industry and faculty mentors to learn from mentors’ life experience, explore career options, receive career advice and sharpen their job search skills. Student mentees connect between themselves to share their academic and career experience.
Becoming a Mentor
Why be a Mentor?
- To empower and stay connected with the younger generations
- To give back to the tech community
- To develop and strengthen your coaching skills
- To build up your leadership profile
- To connect with fellow industry and faculty members
- To deepen your connection with UBC Computer Science Department
What are Mentor Expectations?
- Have a time commitment of 25-35 hours from August-April to attend program events and to meet with student mentees
- Connect with student mentees at least one time each term
- Maintain trust and confidentiality in the mentoring relationship
- Uphold a professional and respectful manner in all communications
- Participate in program activities - Kick-off event, Wrap-up event, Exit Survey - whenever possible
- Engage in mentorship activities such as but not limited to information interviews, resume critique, interview practice, office visit, advisement on technical projects, resource sharing
Who can be a Mentor?
- Actively working in Computer Science-related roles or companies
- Connected to UBC through work or through past or current schooling
- Referral by a UBC or a UBC-affiliated member
- Out-of-town mentors are welcomed
How to Become a Mentor?
- Email us at trimentoring@cs.ubc.ca, introduce yourself to us, and send us your LinkedIn profile if you have one
Becoming a Mentee
Why be a Mentee?
- To explore career options, including whether to do grad school, by learning from mentors’ experience
- To obtain career development help
- To start building your professional network
- To grow comfortable talking to new people
- To learn to manage external professional relationships while attending to your own demanding academic schedule
What are the Mentee Expectations?
- Have a time commitment of 25-35 hours from August-April to attend program events and to meet with mentors
- Take initiative to connect and organize mentorship activities with mentor and mentee in the triad. Mentorship activities can be but are not limited to information interviews, resume critique, interview practice, office visit, advisement on technical projects, resource sharing
- Have an open mind to be matched with mentors and mentees with different and varied experience
- Maintain trust and confidentiality in the mentoring relationship
- Uphold a professional and respectful manner in all communications
- Attend program activities - Kick-off event, Learning Objectives, End-of-Term Reflection, Wrap-up event, Exit Survey
Who can be a Mentee?
- Current UBC Computer Science or Data Science major students in BSc, BA, BCom, BCS
- Out-of-town students on exchange or on a co-op work term are welcomed
How to Become a Mentee?
- Respond to the enrollment email sent to all eligible students in June/July
- BCS student mentee enrollment will be in August
Be Our Corporate Sponsor
2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the Computer Science Tri-Mentoring Program. The program grew from 15 mentors and 30 students in the pilot year of 2001 to 150+ mentors and 300+ students annually in recent years. Email us at trimentoring@cs.ubc.ca, if you are interested in sponsoring this program that nurtures the next generation.
