As Education Committee member Bill Thompson says, “the FISU Springboard Programme couldn’t be successful without a strong mentor pool”.
On 26 June, 2025 the FISU Springboard Programme 2025 met online for their mid-year session to review, motivate and discuss satisfaction and to look ahead to plans for the remaining 5 months of the current mentoring year. Hosted by Education Committee member Bill Thompson, highlights included an interactive question/answer segment along with an interview with a former mentee.
Rewarding for all participants
The meeting started with a wholehearted thank you, and a rational as to how the participants gave their time freely, balancing either their studies or their jobs. But as direct feedback had shown; the reward of being involved in the programme far outweighed the commitment required of both the mentor and the mentee.
As part of the session, participants were reminded of key tips in understanding their responsibilities as mentor/mentee, but also elements that can make for a strong relationship. This was particularly relevant during the interview session held with 2024 participant Gyu Rhee (Kelly) Kim. Kelly mentioned how many aspects of the partnership she had with her mentor had helped with self-confidence, work/study balance and even helped prepare her the future. Given that she is now interning with the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games being held in Germany, it’s a testament towards her growth and development in the global sports sector.
Work trough our weaknesses
Quote from Kelly: “Being a mentee has given me skills that I use regularly. My mentor helped me realise that my doubts were unjustified, as we went through my weaknesses and strengths. I would encourage anyone who wants to develop themselves to join the Springboard programme.”
The final element of the session focused on the requirement to have a strong mentor pool from which to support the emerging student ambassadors taking part in the programme. As the moderator was keen to highlight, “our programme is based on our greatest asset, our people. We need to shout about our successes and the benefits not only to our mentees, but what amazing benefits our mentors receive from helping support and develop our future leaders”. Whether mentees wish to discuss work or general life related aspects, being as open as possible was noted as a key for creating value from the interactions.
If you’d like more information about becoming involved as a mentor in the 2026 programme of the Springboard, please contact education@fisu.net for more information.