A QUARTER CENTURY OF SUCCESS WITH GSA’S MENTORING PROGRAMS

Since the Geological Society of America’s (GSA’s) first mentoring program in 1996 where 37 students sat with two professionals, there has been significant growth in both attendance and demand. GSA’s first mentor program, the Roy J. Shlemon Mentor Program in Applied Geology, was first held in 1996 and it originated here in Southern California. This single offering grew to two mentor programs and several career workshops at each GSA Section Meeting, and a GeoCareers Corner with mentoring, presentations, job postings, and career sessions at our Connects Meetings. In 2023, 1,209 students participated in all of GSA’s mentor programs with 311 professional geoscientists. Yearly totals have ranged from 1200-1800 participants and over the last 26 years, 25,004 students and 6,025 professionals have been a part of GSA’s mentoring programs. This presentation will provide an overview of the history of GSA’s mentorship programs, discuss their successes, and provide ideas for the future.

In addition to these mentor and career program offerings, technical sessions like this one are now being offered. You have heard about careers in the industry, government, and academic sectors and have been given skills to help you prepare for and succeed in these areas. I'd like to briefly touch on careers in the nonprofit realm and highlight the importance of networking to your career.