The Impact Lab Mentor Experience

An effective mentor has professional experience in the business community, communication skills, and genuine interest in student development. The best mentors actively listen to understand students' goals and challenges, provide constructive feedback balanced with encouragement, and share relevant real-world insights. They create a safe space for students to experiment and even fail, turning those moments into valuable learning opportunities. Effective mentors also demonstrate flexibility, recognizing that each student and student team have unique needs and learning styles.

Rather than providing answers, mentors should ask thought-provoking questions that guide students to discover solutions independently, building critical thinking skills. Most importantly, they maintain a commitment to the mentoring relationship, remaining accessible and responsive while modeling professional behaviors and ethical standards that students can emulate.

• Treat students with respect and like adults while remembering that they are new to professional communication.
• Provide constructive feedback. Recognize their good work and support them when times get hard.
• Be approachable. Create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable to express their ideas and opinions.
• Foster autonomy. Encourage students to develop their problem-solving skills and to take initiative.
• Ask clarifying questions: ask the students for more information about the project, and their approach.
• Redirect the students when they seem to be stuck, confused, or overwhelmed.
• Encourage collaboration within the team and to use all resources from class or draw from their own experiences.
• If your team is exceeding expectations and ahead of schedule. Encourage them to build upon their work to refine small details.
   

As a mentor in the Impact Lab, you'll support student teams working on real-world projects for local nonprofit and social enterprise organizations. These projects are designed to tackle complex challenges, and they require students to investigate deeply, think creatively, and develop strategic solutions. Topics may include areas such as marketing, process improvement, community engagement strategies, and more.

Some common project themes include:

• Identifying the root cause of operational inefficiencies  
• Analyzing and improving customer or stakeholder experience  
• Tackling internal communication or organizational alignment issues  
• Exploring new service models, products, or community engagement strategies  
• Recommending tools, frameworks, or processes for long-term change  

As a mentor, you'll guide students not just in their project work, but also in developing essential professional skills, for example, how to communicate effectively, manage meetings, and collaborate as a team.

Some of our Clients: 

• City of Minneapolis
• Special Olympics Minnesota
• Greek Council for Refugees
• Metropolitan Airports Commission

Matches between mentors, student teams, and client projects are determined by the course instructor assigned to each section. Student teams may be formed based on shared interests, academic majors, diverse skill sets. Each mentor is then assigned to one student team whose project may or may not align with the mentor’s background and expertise. The Client, who your student team will be presenting to at the end of the semester, will have a distinct project for each student team, totaling 8 projects for the 8 student teams in the class.

Although mentors and students do not select their own projects or teams, the matching process is designed to foster meaningful collaboration and ensure a productive experience for both the students’ learning and the success of the client engagement.

In some cases, a mentor’s professional industry background may not directly align with the specific project or Client. When this occurs, mentors are encouraged to draw upon their broader experience and identify relevant connections that can support the team’s work. In the professional world, it is common to rely on transferable skills and past experiences to navigate new challenges. This adaptability not only benefits the student team but also reflects the value of flexibility and thoughtful guidance within the mentoring relationship.

Before the semester begins, all mentors take part in a Mentor Orientation led by the Director of Impact Lab alongside Instructors that you will be working with. This session provides an overview of the course, expectations, and best practices to ensure mentors feel confident and well-prepared.

Throughout the semester, mentors have continued access to support. Your section instructor is your primary point of contact for project guidance, student dynamics, and overall classroom coordination. The Impact Lab administrative team is available for additional questions, resources, and logistical assistance.

You are also part of a mentor community and are encouraged to connect with fellow mentors to share ideas, collaborate, network, and support one another throughout the course.

We want you to feel equipped and supported in your role. Whether you’re navigating a complex project, complex team dynamics or just looking to exchange ideas and feedback.

We ask that mentors put preemptive holds on their calendars for the dates and class time of their respective section to reduce the chance that this occurs. Our students rely on you as an integral part of the course, and their timeline is very important. If you have a conflict, we ask you to please let your Instructor and team know as soon as possible so that an alternative can be arranged.

As a mentor in the Impact Lab program, you'll develop meaningful professional connections with both students and fellow Carlson alumni, and also expand your network within the Minnesota Carlson community. The experience offers a unique opportunity to sharpen your leadership and problem solving skills, which can transfer directly back to your workplace and personal life.

Impact Lab Mentors report that working with our students deepens their own understanding of problem solving and challenges them to articulate their expertise in unique ways. You'll gain exposure to emerging perspectives and innovative thinking from students who bring diverse viewpoints.

Additionally, mentors often express satisfaction in contributing to the development of the next generation of business professionals, knowing they've made a tangible impact on students' career trajectories. Companies that support employee mentoring also benefit from strengthened relationships with the university and increased visibility within the Carlson community.