The American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME's) e-mentoring program for student members was so successful at building connections between that group and experienced engineers that the program has been expanded to include the mentoring of engineers whose graduation was no more than five years ago.

Through the e-mentoring program, young engineers will now be able to benefit from the career advice of more seasoned engineers in their particular field of interest. Recent graduates may get even more benefit from a mentoring relationship, since they are already out in the workforce and may have more career-specific questions.

As of May 2001, the new e-mentoring program had matched 100 pairs of students and mentors. Three months into the current school year, 75 pairs of students and mentors have already been matched.

Students and young engineers, or mentorees, seeking a mentor can choose from a database of names, which gives information about the mentor's background, experience and engineering specialty. Mentorees are asked to fill out an online application indicating their top three choices for mentors.

The requests for a mentor are then evaluated by ASME and matched on a first-come, first-served basis. Only members are eligible to participate in this program as a mentor or mentoree. Anyone wishing to find a mentor or to volunteer to become a mentor for a student or young engineer member should visit the website at www.asme.org/ementoring. Volunteers may serve as a mentor to a student or a young engineer, or both.

Questions about the program should be addressed to Deidra Hackley at Deidra Hackley.