Margaret Jelsma & Diana Perry

Eager to explore her future in the marine and environmental fields, SMEA student Margaret Jelsma turned to the Alumni Mentorship Program for guidance. She was matched with Diana Perry, an alumna passionate about sharing the mentorship she once longed for. Despite living in different states, they regularly connect via Zoom and email, which has helped them grow a strong rapport founded in shared experiences and a mutual interest in supporting each other’s growth.

Their conversations have ranged from courses and life in Seattle to job applications, interview preparation, and the many career pathways in the marine and environmental affairs field. Margaret credits’ Diana’s insight with making networking feel less intimidating, stating, “Diana’s support has helped me feel more confident engaging with professionals in marine and environmental policy.” Daina has found fulfillment in helping students explore their career options and has learned a lot from the perspectives her mentees have brought into the conversations. Their mentorship highlights the impact of the SMEA mentorship program, fostering meaningful connections, broadening perspectives, and guiding emerging leaders in the marine and environmental fields.

Advice for future mentorships:

Margaret: “ My advice to future mentees would be to be proactive in reaching out to your mentor and scheduling time to meet. I’d also encourage them to get to know their mentor beyond just professional topics because the best conversations are often the ones where you can talk about life, not just work or school.”

Diana: “This does not have to be super formal! Either person may come to the conversation with specific questions, but it can also just be a conversation about what is going on in your lives or careers and sharing perspectives.”

Will Burnham & Karen Villeda 

Graduate student Will Burnham joined the mentorship program to gain insight into how SMEA alumni have applied their education and navigated professional paths, particularly connecting with someone whose experience aligned with his interests in NGOs versus government work. He was paired with Karen Villeda, who has benefited from her own mentors through her time at SMEA and beyond. They have developed a supportive relationship that bridges academic preparation and professional applications in their monthly video calls.

Their discussions cover everything from translating SMEA skills into professional roles to networking, resume development, and course selection. Will highlights that Karen’s guidance has boosted his confidence in navigating the “ hidden curriculum” of professional norms, stating, “the most valuable takeaway has been getting Karen’s perspectives on what an SMEA degree can do for you, and how to best strategize within your degree to meet your career goals.”  Karen emphasises the values of learning about Will’s interests and being able to share parallels and lessons learned from similar experiences. Their story highlights the program’s impact by cultivating lasting mentorships that support both students and alumni while strengthening the SMEA community.

Advice for future mentorships:

Will: “Take this opportunity to make a new connection and a new friend! Students can learn a lot from alumni, but the reverse is also true.”

Karen: “It can be as formal and/or informal as you like! Check-ins do not need to have fixed objectives, and sometimes, open-ended conversations end up being more tailored to evolving needs.”