Scott Severs, Principal at Garde Capital, Inc, ’00 MBA
On What Got Him Into the Albers Mentor Program
I believe I have been part of the Mentor Program since about 2006. I have, on average, two mentees each year, typically graduate students in the MBA or MSF programs. That adds up to a lot of mentees! I remember wanting to get involved in Seattle University in some way,and that led me to the Albers Mentor Program. I had been a grad student at SU, having graduated in 2000, but I never took advantage of the Mentor Program and wish that I had.
His Experience as a Mentor
My experience has been very good with this program. I have always told the students that I’ve volunteered to help, so I wanted to make the most of their time. I let them drive the experience and decide what topics they want to cover and how deep they want to go.
Typically, we will spend some time focusing on what I do professionally, so they have a grasp of what it’s like to be in financial services. From there, we often steer the conversation toward networking, job search, or how to prepare for whatever the next phase may be for them.
I have had a number of mentees follow up with me long after the program has been over. I would have to say THE most memorable experience I have had was being able to hire one of my mentees at Garde Capital. He was a phenomenal student and a great mentee, and he had come from a completely different background and wanted to get into wealth management.
We were able to make it work, and he was an absolute pleasure to work with. [Editor’s note: His mentee was Tommy Owens, ’22 MBA.]
The Motivation to Mentor
I feel that I have had some impact on the lives of many students and that has been very gratifying.
Principal at Garde Capital, Inc, ’00 MBA
'It's good to ask questions'
What Students are Looking for in Mentorship
Over the years I have found that they need general advice on careers and more specific advice on networking and how to interview. We spend a decent amount of time working on the resumes and helping them prepare for the next job.
Many of them are international students who really need to get a job in order to be able to stay in the United States. The Mentor Program is great for them because it allows them to get more comfortable talking to people who have been in the business world for a while, and being able to ask questions to help them understand what opportunities might be available.
Advice He'd Give Anyone Considering Being a Mentor
I would encourage anyone to try mentoring. The students truly appreciate the opportunity to connect with someone in the business community and get some advice. I feel that I have had some impact on the lives of many students and that has been very gratifying.
I might caution mentors against having a stringent program that isn’t very flexible and is designed to educate them only about the industry that the mentor happens to be in. I think it’s good to ask questions and really try to understand how they can help. I started doing that after a few years as a mentor, and it made all the difference in terms of my experience, and I hope the experience of the students I have been working with.