“For my first meeting with her, she treated me to lunch at Paramount Pictures, where she works. Garima had no reservations about allowing me to see her workplace, offering a tour of the lot in addition to a very engaging discussion about our experiences and how they fit into the professional world. It was an overwhelmingly positive first meeting. Knowing that she was on my side and able to offer help calmed a lot of fears about a daunting job search, especially in a competitive field such as media.

“It was great to have that initial meeting with her, for her advice carried me through the next few months of job searching at school. In the meantime, she has also emailed me with numerous internship opportunities in the Los Angeles area. She offered an in-depth and constructive review of my resume, reiterating numerous times that she was always willing to look at drafts of resumes and cover letters for applications. Garima has offered not only personal advice on solidifying interests but also professional advice when it comes to application logistics.

“While Garima excels as an alumni mentor in this traditional sense, she also goes above and beyond to help students in the UCLA community. She graciously offered her time to sit on a panel for a networking night with a student group I am a part of, which allowed her to share her expertise and experience with a broader community. Students responded very well to her advice, a testament to her extremely warm and welcoming personality. Garima was very popular at the event, and I felt so lucky to be associated with her!

“Lastly, Garima has reached out to me regarding continued mentorship beyond the Alumni Mentor Program. She wrote to me, ‘Even though the formal mentorship through UCLA ends in June, I just want you to know that with me, it won't just end...I will always continue to do whatever I can for you.’ Garima has been a warm, supportive, helpful mentor to me this academic year, and I am excited to continue our friendship into the future. She is an exceptional mentor for her passion, kindness, resourcefulness, selflessness and charisma.”

Student mentee Ruhee Patel, a fourth year communications studies major, shared, “I am a graduating senior and Garima was very supportive and helpful throughout my job hunting experience. She always gave me great advice, helped me prepare for interviews, and even utilized her contacts to help me find opportunities. She was always a phone call, text, or email away and it helped knowing that I had someone so supportive guiding me.”

“What I did not realize at the time was that Robbie would become a patient, generous, and thoughtful mentor. From showing me around his office at Accenture in the Netherlands and spending hours explaining Lean Agile processes as they related to my leadership role at UCLA Anderson, to fighting on my behalf for interview opportunities in the Netherlands, he has been steadfast in supporting my path to success. I have leveraged his techniques while facilitating large group sessions for my professional organization and team projects at Anderson and he has always been just a phone call away to provide feedback and guidance for those efforts.

“As I approach my significant transition to a new country I find extreme comfort knowing that there are people like Robbie there who may help me through it. Robbie is a prime example of how an alumnus can step up for a young student in big ways; I believe he is the epitome of a great mentor.”

“My conversations with Pam have made me feel more at home at UCLA, as I could confide in her about my initial homesickness and difficulties adjusting to college. I was able to talk to her about how I didn’t feel cut out to be an engineer after taking my first few lower division classes. She shared similar experiences of her own, which helped me feel a lot less alone in my struggles, especially since this was a deeply personal topic. I am forever grateful to have had a female mentor in engineering like Pam.

“Furthermore, Pam has gone above and beyond just offering advice, as she also organized a tour of JPL, her workplace, with another mentor. This was an amazing opportunity and something she was very passionate about sharing with her mentees, even though it required a great deal of planning and time to make it happen.

“Pam has been a fantastic mentor throughout the year, as she always made time to drive down and meet with me at least once a month, and I am grateful I had someone like her to help me through the turbulent transition from high school to college.”

Student mentee Chris Lambert, a second year mechanical engineering major, shared, “Pam was thoroughly invested in the mentoring program. She was exactly the type of supportive and encouraging mentor one needs in their first year of college. Pam always listened to what I had to say and offered thoughtful advice. When she found out I was interested in rock climbing and hiking, she suggested a nearby state park and the local climbing gym for the next two upcoming mentorship sessions. Having mentorship in environments like these made it an enjoyable time for both of us and allowed us to make great conversation.

“Without her, I do not think I could have transitioned as well to the college lifestyle. Pam often recounted examples early in her college career where she struggled to adjust, and that reminded me that I am not the only one who has faced these challenges. Her wisdom helped me overcome many of the roadblocks I encountered this year.

“An example of Pam's outstanding commitment to this program was that she organized a private tour of JPL after I mentioned that I am interested in interning there. Touring JPL was one of the highlights of my freshman year, and I am thankful that Pam gave me an opportunity to explore a potential future workplace.”