ScholarX applicant to a ScholarX mentee
Documenting my experience on applying for ScholarX and completing one month as a ScholarX mentee
How did I get to know about this Opportunity and why I chose to apply?
ScholarX is a 6-month programme for Sri Lankan undergraduates designed for obtaining a one-to-one mentorship during our study period. You can probably find more about this here in detail. But I never came across this programme nor the website until a few of my friends shared about this opportunity and told me to apply(How lucky am I!). I went through the programme and thought, “Wow, this is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for!”. Why? You see, I am an undergraduate stepping into my 4th year and naturally, I am at this juncture where I am wondering what’s next for me. I spoke with few people I know to get some idea, but I still felt that something — or rather someone- was missing. A mentor. Again, I had my own expectations for a mentor because I had all these questions in my mind which I was trying to streamline and find answers for. So when I came across this opportunity, I felt that this is exactly the kind of thing undergraduates need. I was also very impressed by the cohort of mentors they had. And so I decided to apply to become a ScholarX mentee.
How was the application process?
Those who were interested to be ScholarX mentees were required to fill an Application form. The application consisted of 3 sections; (1) Personal information, (2) Academic information, (3) a Maximum of 3 Mentor choices. We are also required to upload our CV to the application form. I’ll be honest. I find filling application forms a tedious task as I find it difficult sometimes to express my thoughts in words. Despite this, I found the application quite interesting to fill. Why? Because it made me refine the ideas I had in me, reflect on how far I have come, streamline the area I would like to work in, and better define my future goal. It also helped me to think more about how I can use this opportunity better because I started to think about things that I didn’t before. This was extremely helpful when I was going through the Mentor list to choose the top 3 preferred mentors. Each Mentor was unique in their way and I would have had a time trying to choose among all these amazing Mentors if not for the application process which helped me to narrow down and focus on key things I wanted to learn by being a ScholarX mentee. And so I filled in my application and submitted it.
How did it feel to be a ScholarX mentee and how has my experience been so far?
I was shocked and elated when I received the email stating that I have been matched with a mentor. In other words, I have been selected among many others as a ScholarX mentee. I was excited. The email linked a website that contained the name of the applicant and the assigned mentor. I immediately went to check who my assigned mentor was. To my delight, I was matched with the Mentor who was at the top of my preference list. The email also asked us to fill a student agreement form if we wish to confirm to be a ScholarX mentee. I provided my confirmation by filling the form. And so I officially became a ScholarX 2021 Mentee.
ScholarX team arranged introductory sessions for selected mentees to guide us on how to maximize this opportunity and share experiences of previous mentees. They also explained the criteria behind selection which placed considerable weight on the applicant’s future aspirations/goals. The entire team was extremely friendly and dedicated to ensure that we get the best experience from this programme.
How did I get connected to my mentor and how has my experience been so far?
ScholarX team explained that the first point of contact would be made by the mentor within a required timeline. From then onwards, the mentor and mentee will be directly connected while the ScholarX team will continue to support us if we have any issues within their scope. As mentioned, My mentor dropped me an email, congratulated me on being selected as a ScholarX mentee, and asked me to prepare few things (such as my expectations) in advance for our call. We found a suitable time to get connected and we had a very informative first call. First, we introduced ourselves to get to know each other better. We then proceeded to share my expectations and all questions and queries I had which was mainly around higher studies opportunity and career scope available for my area of studies. My mentor addressed every one of my questions and gave me so many alternatives to consider. We also established some aligned expectations. My mentor assigned me a task to be completed before our next meeting. By the end of the call, my mentor helped me to streamline my thoughts, provided links to access opportunities, gave splendid advise on pursuing higher studies. More importantly, I felt motivated overall. Needless to say, I felt extremely lucky for getting to know about this opportunity and for deciding to apply. I believe I have started something exciting.