2024-2025 TCAB Mentor Program

The Department of Writing Studies is incredibly lucky to have a robust, collaborative Technical Communication Advisory Board (TCAB). One of TCAB’s most popular programs is the annual Mentor Program, which fosters students’ development by pairing students with technical communication industry professionals. Learn more about the Mentor Program from Assistant Professor and TCAB Director Dan Card.

What is the focus and purpose of the TCAB Mentor Program?

The TCAB mentor program provides students across our undergraduate and graduate programs an opportunity to connect with an experienced professional in the technical communication field. We have mentors who work in areas such as UX research, UX design, accessibility, technical writing, instructional design, technical editing, regulatory affairs, and product management in a variety of sectors and industries. We try to connect students with TCAB members, alumni, or other friends of the program based on shared interests and student goals so that students can not only practice networking and get valuable career advice but also learn about specific areas of interest within the broad, interdisciplinary field.

Who can participate in the TCAB Mentor Program?

We invite students in all of our programs to apply! This year students from all programs were represented: the undergraduate BS in Technical Writing and Communication, the MS/Certificate programs in Technical Communication, and the PhD in Rhetoric, Scientific, and Technical Communication. 

How many participated in the Mentor Program in 2024-2025?

In 2024-2025, we had 48 participants! The program began in 2018 and in the past few years we've had so much student interest that we've had to recruit additional alumni to serve as mentors. We are now starting to have alumni mentors who were mentees during the first years of the program!

What feedback have you received from participants about the experience?

Each year we ask for students and mentors about their experience to help us grow the program and improve the experience. Here are some comments from previous participants.

Past mentees:

• “My hopes were met and exceeded by this program! I thought it was such a great opportunity to meet and engage with professionals in the field on a personal level.”
• “I've really enjoyed all of the time I spent with my mentor, and I found this to be one the most valuable, useful experiences I've had in terms of networking and career building at the U so far.”
• “It was really rewarding to get the opportunity to learn from someone I would not have had access to outside this program.”
• “It helped me feel more prepared to hit the job market, and it strengthened a professional connection for me.”

Past mentors:

• “I really enjoyed meeting with my mentee, talking about how he got interested in technical writing and where he’d like to go in the field, and providing whatever guidance I could!”
• “It is always rewarding to learn about students' current coursework because it helps me design my positions with those skill sets in mind.”
• “I really like working with students and learning about their career interests.”
• “Seeing the growth and development in my mentee, even in a short amount of time. It was great seeing him become more confident and engaged in networking opportunities.”

How can students and mentors get involved in the TCAB Mentor Program in the future?

Students interested in attending TCAB events can check the TCAB calendar. We also send email announcements about TCAB events in the fall and throughout the year. We invite student applications to the mentor program in October and the program usually starts in November and runs through March. 

We are always happy to answer questions about the mentor program or TCAB. Email us at [email protected]!