SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 — More than 136,000 UTSA alumni worldwide and close to 30,000 current students make up one of the world’s strongest networks: Roadrunner Nation. To facilitate access to this extensive resource, the University Career Center has collaborated with the UTSA Alumni Association, the College of Engineering and the First Generation & Transfer Student Center in partnership with Title V: PIVOT for Academic Success, to create a new, online professional mentoring platform.
The Roadrunner Network platform was launched in July 2020 to provide a virtual community where students and alumni interact to ask questions, seek guidance, and inspire paths toward professional goals. UTSA faculty and staff are also welcome to join the Roadrunner Network to offer advice and mentorship.
“As we have evolved our University Career Center services, it became clear our students wanted a way to connect with alumni, and our graduates wanted a way to directly support current UTSA students,” said Mario Vela, executive director of the University Career Center. “We are excited about the potential of the new Roadrunner Network platform to energize and mobilize the our extensive UTSA network.”
Key features of the Roadrunner Network include the ability to search for and connect with alumni as a mentor, mentee, or both. Participants choose their level of involvement, from a “flash,” or one-time meeting, to a longer, more sustained mentoring relationship.
Participants can also post job, internship and fellowship opportunities. Networking mixers, conferences and other events will be highlighted, and communities will be launched to connect Roadrunners who share similar career interests.
“I love that the Roadrunner Network was designed exclusively for UTSA,” said Yvonne Addison, incoming president of the UTSA Alumni Association and a Roadrunner Network mentor. “Users can search and connect around areas of profession, geographic location, expertise, and much more. The Roadrunner Network brings students and alumni together while celebrating all that makes UTSA diverse and unique.”
“UTSA alumni tell us often they want to help current students and one another. Our students, in particular, really need access to those connections, as an important part of UTSA student success efforts,” said Steve Woodall ‘11, interim executive director of the UTSA Alumni Association. “And keep in mind, to meet the demand that will come from about 30,000 students, we need thousands of alumni, faculty and staff to sign up to be mentors.”
To sign up, potential mentors will create a Roadrunner Network account using a preferred email address or LinkedIn account (to autofill career information.) Mentors can set preferences for how much time they can commit and the number of requests from students they are willing to accept.
While awaiting connections, participants can also visit the Discussions area, where they can answer questions, and even post some of their own, to help break the ice between students and alumni.
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