The Value of a Mentor

By Claudia Ordoñez, Global MBA 2013-2014, Colombia

“Working smarter, not harder” is the first thing that comes to my mind when thinking about mentoring programs. Mentors help mentees to gain a clearer understanding of their academic and career plans through exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences. In many cases, the mentor-mentee relationship is just the beginning of a lasting professional and personal network.

All Global MBA students have the opportunity to be put in contact with mentors from various backgrounds and professional experiences. This year we have mentors working in managerial positions, others who are entrepreneurs, bankers, marketing VPs, and CEOs. They work in all kinds of sectors, including consumer goods, oil and gas, banking, health, and beauty and personal care, among others. In January, Ingrid Cazalis, our class representative, organized an informal mentor-mentee reception at the Hôtel du Collectionneur. It was a nice opportunity to build our relationships with our own mentors, to get to know other people’s mentors as well, and to share the good experiences we have had during the program. 


Have you ever thought about the benefits of having a mentor? Have you ever been a mentor or a mentee? Before doing my MBA at ESSEC, I had neither been mentored, nor mentored anyone else. For me, this has been one of the most interesting aspects of the Global MBA and one of the reasons I chose to do the program. The fact that experienced professionals with career goals similar to yours take the time to meet you one-on-one to share their advice, knowledge, and insight to help your professional future is priceless. The Global MBA’s mentor-mentee program has helped us students gain invaluable insight beyond our own education and experience.

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