AJO Mentoring Program
Our Mentoring Program connects aspiring journalists with top media professionals across a wide range of specialties.
Our mentors have been handpicked as successful, working journalists eager to share their knowledge and expertise with our students. They work at leading media organizations such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNBC, NBC, National Geographic, CNN, NPR, Cosmopolitan, Bloomberg, Vice News, Associated Press, Insider, and many others.
In an industry that relies heavily on connections and networking, we believe crafting a mentorship relationship early on in a student’s career can help foster and support a promising future in the industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
For Students
Everyone in AJO has access to a mentor if they want one. First year students get a mentor as part of their enrollment in Reporting the News– the introductory journalism class in the program most students take their first semester with AJO. They fill out an interest survey and then connect one-on-one with our mentorship director to assess wants and needs. The mentorship team then works to pair students with mentors based on those needs.
First, congratulations! Next, students get to initiate the contact. We always suggest sending an initial email or Slack message to your mentor. After this, you and your mentor can agree on how you will communicate—whether via Zoom, in-person, or phone call and also the frequency with which you will interact. It is always a good idea to prepare questions before you meet.
Sometimes life happens, situations change, or people just don’t click. Whether it’s a communication issue or a personal one, any time you need to talk about your mentorship situation you can reach out to the mentorship team.
No. Some students already have mentorship support by the time they get to AJO. Additionally, some students are busy with a full-time job and family, so adding school and a mentor might be a bit overwhelming. However, we always encourage participation in the program where possible.
Yes. Some students come into our program as professional journalists looking to advance their education, and some of those already have mentors established before enrollment. Some students don’t want one or don’t have the time for one, and we understand that too. (See above question.) Most students, however, participate in this program and find it a helpful tool to support their journey at AJO.
Mentors are asked to spend a few hours of time every semester with you. You can connect weekly or monthly, or on a schedule that suits you and your mentor best.
Mentors are great resources to help brainstorm story ideas, give you an extra set of eyes on a pitch or assignment, and just give general career advice and feedback.
Why not? You never know who might know who, or who might agree if we ask.
Asking for a mentor like someone you admire or want to model your career on can help us pair you with the right person.
The biggest perk of being part of the mentorship program is the networking aspect. First, we have a LinkedIn group you can join with other AJO students and mentors. Plus, there’s a mentorship Slack channel for all the AJO students. You will also have access to guest speakers, mixers and more!
Frequently Asked Questions
For Mentors
Our mentors are journalists from top media organizations with varying specialties and educational backgrounds. We are always looking for seasoned industry professionals of all types who are willing to volunteer time to our students.
Every student in the AJO program has access to a mentor if they want one. First year students get a mentor as part of their enrollment in Reporting the News — the introductory journalism class in the program most students take their first semester. They fill out interest surveys and then connect one-on-one with our Mentorship Director to assess mentorship wants and needs. The Mentorship team then works to pair students with mentors based on those needs.
Sometimes life happens, situations change, or people just don’t click. Whether it is a communication issue or a personal one, any time you need to talk about your mentorship situation, please reach out to the Mentorship team.
Students are asked to initiate contact. We suggest they reach out via email or Slack, but they may also connect on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Each student is provided with a student guide which helps them navigate the mentorship process. As a mentor you receive a guide also.
All of mentors are volunteers and we are extremely grateful for each one! We understand that some may be able to commit more time than others and schedules may often get in the way. However, the expectation is that mentors and mentees connect at least a few times during the semester.
The biggest perk of being part of the mentorship program is the networking aspect. First, we have a LinkedIn group you can join with AJO students and mentors. Additionally, there is a mentorship Slack channel for all the AJO mentors to connect directly with each other and our staff.
Request more info
If you have further questions about the online master’s degree mentorship program, please contact our mentorship director CK Smith at cks8708@nyu.edu.
CK Smith
AJO Mentorship Director
cks8708@nyu.edu.