Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program

Mentor and students interacting at a UPOP event

For Mentors

Mentors are one of the cornerstones of the UPOP student experience.

These remarkable volunteers support and coach UPOP students throughout their sophomore year in a variety of ways—whether in one-on-one coaching sessions or as a critical support during the annual Team Training Workshop events in January and February.

Most—but not all—UPOP mentors are MIT grads and have been out in the professional world for varying lengths of time, working in a variety of fields and functions. Their perspectives can be invaluable, whether it’s about how to get through the MIT experience, making connections and succeeding in a particular company or sector, or about the experience of school and work coming from a particular background, like being a first-generation or international student.

Photo: Mariquita Blumberg

UPOP students really understand all the levers they're going to need to be effective when they come out of college, and it really prepares them to hit the ground running and be contributors in organizations, academia, industry, and in their communities ”

Mariquita Blumberg ’94