# Mentoring

**Source**: https://city.yale.edu/mentoring
**Parent**: https://city.yale.edu/

Whether you’re a first-time entrepreneur, innovator, or a seasoned professional, having a *mentor* can be a game-changer.

Mentorship is central to our mission at Tsai CITY. Our program connects students with a network of over 600 inspiring mentors, offering invaluable guidance and support. We match mentees with experienced mentors in their industry who are passionate about empowering the next generation of innovators.

As a mentee, you’ll gain insights from your mentor’s expertise, build new skills, and access a community of mentors and peers for ongoing support and inspiration.

I met with a mentor, made the changes to our sales process from their advice, and then the next sales call got a sale.

#### Option 1: Office Hours with Tsai CITY Staff

To start mentoring at Tsai CITY, Yale students can sign up for office hours and chat with the team to figure out how to make their ideas happen.

- [Chat with the crew](https://city.yale.edu/our-team)

#### Option 2: Join our Venture Development Programs (VDPs)

Our VDPs include mentoring with lead mentors, thematic mentors, venture advisors, and venture associates.

- [Learn about our VD Programs](https://city.yale.edu/programs/venture-development-programs)

#### Option 3: Mentorship After VDPs

For off-cycle mentoring needs, an application-based rolling mentorship program is available (including Startup Yale, our annual pitch-off competition).

- [Apply for Rolling Mentorship](https://yalesurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eYbNKPRrobIzbZX)

#### Option 4: Mentorship Beyond Tsai CITY

Cross Campus is Yale's online networking, community-building, and mentoring program, facilitating relationships between Yalies.

- [Visit Yale Cross Campus](https://crosscampus.yale.edu/v2/)

"[Our mentor] was incredibly supportive and talked us through every step of each decision-making process."

*Nora Draper, ART ’20*

"I had a great time speaking with [my mentee]. I saw a lot of progression from him and the team, and was heartened by seeing how quickly he was able to act on the feedback I provided."

*Nick Gulino, LAW ’18,\
Founder & CEO of Recover*

"[My mentor] acted as a challenger that I needed and provided me with a different set of perspectives looking at my startup idea."

*Jason Lee, YC ’25*

Beverly Jurenko

Executive and Leadership Coach at\
 Inside Edge Consulting LLC

*Industry: Energy, Nonprofit\
 Organizations, Private Equity*

Camele-Ann White

Director of Business Affairs &\
Legal Counsel at Disney Theatrical\
Group

*Industry: Entertainment, Corporate\
Law, Mergers & Acquisitions*

Eason Yang

Founder and Creative Director at \
 Not Entirely Dead

*Industry: Arts / Culture & Media, \
 Civic Engagement & Government*

Erick Rios

Vice President of Engineering at \
Big Bang Product Development

*Industry: Consumer Goods, Medical\
 Devices*

Jeehyang Leung

Global Head of Brand and Product\
 Marketing at Sendwave

*Industry: Marketing, EdTech & \
Fintech*

Jennifer Peterson

Senior Manager for Analyst\
Relations, Data & AI at IBM

*Industry: Emerging Technologies,\
Software*

Michael Lewittes

Founder and CEO of Ranktify

*Industry: Emerging Technologies,\
Social Media, Venture Capital*

Nelson Madubuonwu

Chief of Staff for Product at \
Instagram

*Industry: Emerging Technologies*

Rahul Prasad

Investor and Advisor at MVP\
Ventures

*Industry: Nonprofit Organizations,\
Education, Research & Technology*

Tsai CITY’s fall mentorship series connected 41 mentors with 46 teams across 13 themes, offering 323 sessions and tapping into a mentor network of 700+ experts driving student innovation forward.

Tsai CITY’s 2024–2025 Annual Report is here—featuring key data, standout student stories, and a year of bold, interdisciplinary innovation. Take a look at what over 2,100 Yale students built, explored, and launched this year.

With the primary purpose of designing a space for students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to express, plan, and bring to life their creativity, Tsai CITY provides needed resources, tools, opportunities, and guidance. One significant resource is our mentorship program.