When Andrea Braver moved to Philadelphia in June of last year to start the next chapter of her social work career, she was suddenly faced with juggling two new jobs, unfamiliar licensure laws, and life in a city she didn鈥檛 yet know.聽
To help ease the transition, Braver turned to the Boston College School of Social Work鈥檚 Alumni Mentoring Program, which pairs recent graduates with experienced alumni to provide space for reflection, encouragement, and professional insight.聽
Braver, 惭厂奥鈥�23, connected with Jenni Myers, MSW/MBA鈥�09 and started meeting monthly over video, sharing stories, asking questions, and untangling the complexities of professional life.
鈥淚 thought that it would be really helpful to have a built-in support who had some idea about what I鈥檓 going through or what can be difficult,鈥� Braver recalls. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know a lot of folks in the area, and having someone to bounce ideas off of was very reassuring.鈥�
Myers, for her part, jumped at the chance to help a recent graduate. 鈥淚 like opportunities to get to network with people and help new alumni think about their career trajectories,鈥� she says.
The Alumni Mentoring Program, which launched in 2015 and has served more than 500 graduates, is built on a simple idea: social workers grow stronger when they grow together.聽
Participants connect regularly through texts, phone calls, and video chats, and program coordinators provide timely resources on topics such as leadership, career goals, and workplace challenges.
Applications are now open for the 2025鈥�2026 program year, which begins in September. .
Braver and Myers clicked right away, bonding over their shared interest in mental health. Braver says that she found a supportive mentor in Myers, a confidant in whom she could discuss the ins and outs of working as a therapist at 鈥嬧�婤ryn Mawr Hospital and the Philadelphia Consultation Center.
鈥淛enni鈥檚 always been validating, supportive, and really available,鈥� Braver says. 鈥淚t was so nice having her when I was first navigating this move.鈥�
“There鈥檚 no reason not to do it. It can only be helpful to speak with a seasoned social worker who鈥檚 been in your shoes, who has climbed this hill already, and can provide a listening ear, support, mentorship, advice, and connection.”
When Myers met Braver, she was working as the vice president of business operations and strategy at Thriveworks, a large mental health provider of therapy and psychiatry. Although Myers now runs the Nutrition Counseling Services team at Mom鈥檚 Meals, a national provider of medically tailored meals for people with chronic health conditions, she sees her work with Braver as a way to remain grounded in the experiences of those doing direct care.聽 聽
鈥淚鈥檓 able to honestly hear her perspective of what it鈥檚 like working in the field and help her suss out different opportunities given the broader kind of market dynamics,鈥� she says.
Myers gives Braver tactical advice, including mentorship on key skills such as job negotiation, self-advocacy, and career development. She reminds her of the vital role that social workers play in society, noting that the growing need for people in the helping profession increases their bargaining power in terms of salary negotiations, benefits, and job flexibility.聽聽
鈥淛enni discusses the power of negotiation and the value that social work plays,鈥� Braver says. 鈥淪he provides a good reminder of the skills that we learned from our program and how to put that into practice.鈥�
Both Braver and Myers encourage other graduates to get involved with the Alumni Mentoring Program, saying that it offers opportunities to grow, connect, and strengthen the future of social work with people who share the same values.
Myers sees the program as an opportunity to pay it forward. She鈥檚 worked with a mentor for years, and knows how hard it can be to navigate professional life as a newly minted social worker without guidance from a more seasoned veteran.聽
鈥淗aving somebody who鈥檚 just like a sounding board is important,鈥� she says. So for me, it鈥檚 really about giving back.鈥�
Braver says that having a mentor can make the jump from BCSSW to the working world a lot smoother, especially given how much social workers must often learn on the job.聽
鈥淭here鈥檚 no reason not to do it,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t can only be helpful to speak with a seasoned social worker who鈥檚 been in your shoes, who has climbed this hill already, and can provide a listening ear, support, mentorship, advice, and connection.鈥澛�
