Mentoring the next generation of Rotman Commerce
Rotman Commerce celebrates National Mentoring Month with this highlight of the RC Alumni Mentorship Program (AMP). Rishi Ghosh (BCom ’19) and third-year RC student Jas Johal share how their involvement in this program strengthens their personal and professional networks and what it means to them.
Rishi looks back fondly on his time at Rotman Commerce. Some of his highlights include working with the Centre for Professional Skills to reform professional development for students, travelling to Mexico City as part of an International Study Tour in his fourth year, and forming lifelong friendships through involvement with student groups. After graduation, Rishi first worked as a consultant for PwC, and is now an Associate in the Digital Consulting practice at Huron Consulting Group. He has been involved with the AMP for the past three years.
“The AMP program is meaningful to me because I can provide a sense of direction to students who I can empathize with,” he shares. “I’ve been in their shoes – when you’re one or two years into university, it’s hard to figure out how to network, what opportunities to get involved in, and how to stand out amongst a pool of applicants when recruiting.” Since he now works in the consulting industry and is directly involved in the recruiting process for new grads, Rishi knows what he is looking for in candidates. The AMP provides him with the opportunity to transfer this knowledge to students who are trying to figure out what prospective employers are looking for in them.
Rishi’s involvement with the AMP has also equipped him with opportunities for his own learning.
“One of my biggest takeaways from being a mentor is the importance of anchoring short-term goals in reality to excel in the long run. Each student is different in terms of their current skillset and the career stage that they are at. It’s imperative to help students anchor their immediate near-term goals so that they develop their resumes to the best of their abilities over a longer time horizon. It takes time to build up goals that are currently out of reach.”
Rishi Ghosh, BCom ’19
Jas is a third-year RC student who participates in the AMP as a mentee. He has also been involved in a number of clubs and activities over the course of his time at U of T. Most recent among these was his participation as a student consultant in the Consult for Impact group. Jas describes this involvement as an “unforgettable experience” that helped him gain experience and transferable skills that he hopes to apply in his post-graduation career.
Jas shares his involvement with the AMP program as a meaningful and rewarding RC experience. “Going into it, I did not know what to expect; now it has made me feel far more integrated with the Rotman Commerce community,” he said. Jas describes some of his most valuable takeaways from AMP as the opportunity to learn from his mentor Andrew, as well as networking with the broader circle of Rotman alumni.
“Participating in the AMP allowed me to explore different career paths, to learn about myself and has provided clarity towards figuring out my post-graduation career path.”
Jas Johal, BCom ’24
January 26, 2023
