From Advice to Accesss: Why Mentorship Matters

For many recent graduates, the transition from college to career can feel less like a launch and more like a free fall. That reality shaped the 2026 Homecoming Brunch hosted by AAGA, during Homecoming 2026, where alumni, students, faculty and staff gathered for an honest conversation about mentorship and what students need most after graduation.

For alumnae Stephania Bloodworth ’00 and Wanda Coley ’96, ’03M, the conversation was personal. Their relationship, rooted in shared Seahawk experiences and strengthened over time, has evolved from mentorship into a sisterhood grounded in trust, accountability and advocacy. It’s the kind of connection that not only open doors but helps someone claim their place once inside and hold it open for others.

Led by Erica Jones ’96, AAGA president, the panel featured alumni leaders from education, healthcare and business. They reflected on the gaps students often face after graduation and the responsibility alumni have to close them. “Folks are getting a really great education,” said Jordan McLeod ’25, a recent graduate preparing for medical school. “But when it comes to the skills you need immediately after graduation, there’s a gap.”

Throughout Homecoming weekend, mentorship took an unexpected form as students taught alumni line dancing, creating moments of shared learning and connection. What started as joy became a reminder that mentorship is reciprocal, relational and built on trust.

That same impact surfaced in a ‘sneak peek’ of the student-produced fashion show during the brunch. The fashion show is an emerging tradition led by the Black Student Union in partnership with the Upperman African American Cultural Center and made possible this year through, TEALstarter, UNCW’s official crowdfunding platform. For six years, the fashion show has offered students hands-on opportunities to build portfolios and resumes through fashion design, modeling, stage production, music mixing, videography and photography.

For alumni at the brunch, the preview made their impact real. Creativity and confidence took center stage, showing how philanthropic support becomes real-world experience and momentum for students finding their voice.

Across conversations, one truth resonated: meaningful mentorship doesn’t happen by chance. It requires presence, follow-through and a willingness to show up. When alumni engage through career conversations, classroom visits, panels, job shadowing or one-on-one mentoring, they bridge the space between experience and aspiration. And when they do, students don’t just find guidance — they find their footing.