Give the gift of mentorship through the Bear Down Network
The Bear Down Network is an online community for alumni, students, faculty and staff.
Looking for a way to spread some cheer this holiday season? Consider offering your expertise and mentorship on the Bear Down Network, an online community of nearly 8,300 users that connects alumni, students, faculty and staff.
"The Bear Down Network is a great way for faculty, students and staff to engage with each other over the holiday break and during the pandemic," said Marc Acuña, Class of 2005, senior director of student and alumni engagement with the University Alumni and Development program. "Students need encouragement more than ever during these challenging times, and mentoring through the Bear Down Network can help."
Users can log in from anywhere to learn from accomplished alumni, connect with mentors, search for jobs and find industry leaders. The search function makes it easy to find like-minded mentors, alumni and friends. Just search for alumni within a profession, geographical location or an interest area, such as arts, science or engineering, for example.
"It's a great opportunity for University of Arizona faculty and staff to offer their expertise to students and alumni," said Lacey Nymeyer-John, class of 2009 and 2014, director of alumni career and professional development. "They can assist a Wildcat, whether a student or an alum, with career and life guidance. Wildcats love helping Wildcats and the Bear Down Network is the platform to lend a hand."
Faculty and staff also are encouraged to share the Bear Down Network and its career development content with students. For example, users can access a recent conversation with alumnus Erick Barbor, Class of 2005, senior director and head of strategy at Samsung Electronics America, recorded in a recent Cats in the Corner online interview. Barbor provides advice for adapting to an ever-advancing digital world. This spring, new content featuring award-winning alumni also will be added to the Bear Down Network.
"Students can find rich content, including career tips and online interviews with industry experts, as well as connect with alumni for informational interviews," Nymeyer-John said. "They can learn more about career fields and make important professional connections."
Sign up on the Bear Down Network before Dec. 18 to enter to win a grand prize of $100 in Wildcat gear from the BookStores. Already a member? Enter to win by posting a photo of yourself sporting your favorite Wildcat gear to the Bear Down Network's main feed and tag "UA Alumni Association" in the post. Go to beardownnetwork.com now to enter. For more information, send an email to beardownnetwork@al.arizona.edu.