Directors’ and professors’ Mentoring; a cornerstone in the education of future professionals

The proposal of the GPS Program, Growth Path for Students, of CEU is that a director of a big company or a professor with long professional background walk University students through this stage.

The purpose of the mentor is to boost students’ growth and employability at such a crucial time as is the leap into university and labour market.

This program seeks that executives and top management from important companies and institutions continue supporting and guiding young graduates and acting as their mentors.

The GPS Program has been designed as one of the essential cornerstones of education and preparation of students for their future. On these grounds, professors and current professionals with a long professional track guide, assist and advise them.

First and second year students are mentored by professors (GPS I), while students from higher years are assisted by professionals (GPS II) to achieve their personal and/or professional goals.

The program also offers along with the department of Professional Careers, specific education on leadership and professional skills with a schedule of networking meetings and with speeches that delve into relevant skills of the labour market.

The lecturer Mario Alonso Puig, expert in leadership, innovation and corporate management has inaugurated this mentoring program at Universidad CEU San Pablo, in Madrid.

Inaugural Conference of the Program

‘The magic of encounters’ has been the title of his lecture in which he has highlighted the importance of interpersonal relations, of trust in the learning process and human relations. “Soft skills should be called human skills. We should value people not for what they do but rather for what they are”.

In this sense, he says “to create the magic of encounter, we should spend our lives acknowledging, thanking and greeting others. It is better to create bridges and links to improve the world we have to live in”.

Moreover he encourages students to always enjoy what they do and help others: “you will never be able to achieve something worthwhile if you do not enjoy while doing so”. Alonso Puig has also stated that “someone who believes in you does not look at the outside, it looks at your potential”. In this line, the expert in surgery has encouraged students to find their mission because “having a purpose is to contribute, go beyond ego and it is crucial to find it and have it clear in our daily life”.

This program forms part of the CEU Monitoring Model with a unique academic approach focused on the student formed from the beginning by comprehensive and personalized attention at all levels: personal, academic, professional and spiritual.