Alumni Association

FastStart program seeking mentors for first-year Penn State students

Credit: David Abruzzese / Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State alumni and employees can make a huge difference in the life of a first-year Penn State student by becoming a mentor in the Penn State Alumni Association's FastStart program. 

FastStart matches mentors with first-year students from underrepresented populations based on compatibility and shared interests. Established by the Alumni Association in 1996, the program seeks to enrich the experience of participating students and support their academic achievement and professional development.  

FastStart mentors share experiences and provide feedback and guidance during a mentee’s first year to help them achieve their goals and reach their full potential. On average, mentors may interact with a student for one to two hours per month — but the impact of that time on students is incalculable.   

 “I am volunteering as a mentor because, as a first-generation college student myself, my mentor in undergrad made all the difference for me,” said Kaitlin Quigley, who earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Penn State in 2009 and 2017, respectively. “I hope to be able to help students along their educational journey.”  

Student mentees have cited a wide variety of benefits from their FastStart experience, such as acquiring a better approach to time management, having a more focused career direction, or learning about specific resources that Penn State offers students. 

Students are matched with mentors based on compatibility and shared interests through a dedicated online engagement platform connected via LionLink, a career networking site exclusively for Penn Staters. Both mentees and mentors are provided with resources and training videos. 

To become a FastStart mentor, sign up here. Those who already have a LionLink account simply need to log in and complete the signup form. Individuals who do not have a LionLink account will be prompted to create a LionLink profile before completing the form. 

The program will have mentors connected with mentees by mid-August. Additional questions can be directed to Marc Tuffy, FastStart program director, at mvt5750@psu.edu or 814-863-6386.  

Last Updated June 20, 2023