New BAMS Mentorship Program Matches Students and Alumni
Alumna Kelly Seither meets with a Cal Poly student as part of a mentorship event.
October 2025 / NEWS STORY
by Stella Goldstein
Bailey College is pleased to announce the launch of the Bailey Alumni Mentoring Students (BAMS) program that opens the door to building transformative connections between alumni and students.
This new opportunity offers year-long, remote, one-on-one alumni mentorship to all Bailey College students (as of the start of the 2025-26 academic year). Bailey College students and alumni are encouraged to sign up here.
Through BAMS, mentorship opportunities now have been expanded to serve students at all educational levels. Through BAMS, students are matched with alumni who are active and experienced in the career fields that students are interested in pursuing. These relationships are invaluable to help students recognize opportunities, gain useful knowledge and face challenges.
“I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to be doing next,” said Jeffrey Johnson, a fourth-year biochemistry major from San Marcos, California. “You don’t always know what’s out there. It’s good to seek mentorship to figure out how industry works, learn about job applications and how to get jobs, and that’s what I’m seeking opportunities to speak to experienced mentors.”
Mentees can learn about career pathways, skill sets and graduate school options, as well as industry expectations and working environments. BAMS alumni mentors can widen their network and develop leadership skills, while staying connected with the Cal Poly community.
Biochemistry major Charlie Palmer listens to an alumnus
as part of a mentorship event.
This new, exciting program expands and revamps the previous Student Plus Alumni Network (SPAN), a successful pilot mentorship program offered by Bailey College last year that was only open to seniors. BAMS now provides all Bailey College students with the opportunity to be matched with an alumni mentor, greatly expanding opportunities.
Third-year biological sciences major Shawky Bassil, of Atascadero, California, who has worked on research related to point-of-care diagnostics, highly values the power of seeking guidance from those more experienced.
“For me, mentorship has played an important role in my life,” Bassil said. “Whether it was my older brother guiding me onto the right path and instilling the importance of a strong work ethic, or my professors teaching me how to find the answers to my questions, their willingness to work with me has helped me build on both my strengths and my weaknesses.”
Jean Davidson, a Cal Poly biological sciences professor, said that through mentorship, students might discover a career they never imagined for themselves.
“It's just phenomenal for our students to have that empowering opportunity and see that the world is their oyster and their intelligence and drive always offer places they can go,” Davidson said.
Cal Poly Chemistry Professor Eric Kantorowski said mentorship is “amazing to have the opportunity to diversify knowledge in a variety of forms. I love that mentors and students can both learn from each other.”
The BAMS program benefits from collaboration and connection, offering reward and inspiration.
“The reason I do mentoring at Cal Poly is that I’m an alum and I love Cal Poly,” said Kelly Seither (Biological Sciences, `87). “Given my 30 years of experience, I believe that I have a lot to offer to help guide students and add to what they learn in school, including how to work with teams, make decisions, and know what kind of jobs exist. I want to be able to impart these things to students.”
Biochemistry major Emma Kurata meets with an alumnus as a mentorship event.
