Disability:IN Minnesota Career Connections Mentoring Program connects post-secondary education students, and recent college graduates with disabilities to career professionals during this 3-month, one-on-one program.
As a mentee, you are paired with a career professional from one of our Disability:IN Minnesota employer or provider members. Suggested topics will be sent weekly to guide conversations with your mentor as you seek to gain insight and perspective to grow in your career.
As a mentor, you are sharing your experiences while providing guidance and support to high-potential talent from the disability community. Participation gets you access to enhanced knowledge of disability inclusion and may add value to your company’s brand of being “disability inclusive.”
As a result, Disability:IN Minnesota Career Connections Mentoring Program creates supportive, mutually beneficial relationships requiring 4-6 hours of commitment each month.
2026 Career Connections Mentoring Program
The Career Connections Mentoring Program is a 3-month mentoring experience connecting employers/professionals from Disability:IN Minnesota member companies to:
- College/university students with disabilities
- Recent graduates with disabilities or
- Individuals with disabilities who have completed a specialized training/certification program
The mentoring program offers one-on-one relationships that will allow both mentors and mentees to share their insights, perspectives and experiences related to disability inclusion in the workplace. This results in a supportive mutually-beneficial relationship that provides the mentor with an enhanced knowledge of disability inclusion while driving career development and employment opportunities for the mentee.
MENTEE/MENTOR TESTIMONIALS
Hear from mentees and mentors who participated in our past Career Connections Mentoring Program.
Blanche-Nicole Kissambou Tchimambou
Career Connections Mentoring Program Mentee 2021 | Bilingual Broker Services Representative, UnitedHealth Group/UHC
Ethan Och
Career Connections Mentoring Program Mentee 2021 | Software Engineer, Northrop Grumman
Kevin Connors
Dennis Stelling
“The best thing about the Career Connections Mentoring Program is the opportunities it presents for mentees to learn, engage, and connect. I would recommend the Career Connections Mentoring Program to others because it is an easy way to connect and support others by sharing your individual professional passion and perspectives.”
Laila Nachar
I would recommend the Career Connections Mentoring Program to others because you meet and work with amazing individuals that will leave a lasting impressions with you!
Cathy Klopp, Mentor
The best thing about the Career Connections Mentoring Program is it allows me to take all my years of work experience and share with the new generations entering the workforce. It also keeps me mindful that those entering the workforce are coming in at a very different time than I did and it is important to adapt how I work based on the newer generations.
Laura Knutson, 2023 mentor
I would recommend the Career Connections Mentoring Program to others because it was a great experience.