Connecting Futures: The Power of Mentorship in Education and Careers
When Craig Boman (BS ‘15, MS ’16) learned that he could serve as a mentor to a current CEE student, he jumped at the opportunity. He sought a way to give back to the university and to a student who was experiencing the same questions and situations that he’d just navigated as a student. Thanks to CEE’s Alumni/Undergraduate Mentor Program, he was connected to Ashima Sharma (CEE ‘22) and began building a connection that’s proven inspirational and beneficial to them both.
Boman, a project manager at Sherwood Design Engineers in the San Francisco Bay Area described Sharma as being very aspirational and open to learning more about life after graduation. “One of the best parts of being a mentor was the interesting conversations I’d have with Ashima. You learn a lot as a mentor, including how to take something complex and simplify it. It really made me focus on how to be a strong communicator.”
Sharma adds that Boman’s eagerness helped her to feel comfortable asking him questions and picking his brain about possible educational and career moves. “One big benefit of the mentorship program was talking to someone who has been in the same place as me,” she explained. Boman’s shared experiences—from classes to on-campus events to professional development—allowed him to provide valuable insight into possible future paths.
“I could talk to him about something he regretted not taking advantage of or a relationship with an advisor that he’d recommend,” added Sharma.
Because they lived across the country from each other, Boman and Sharma took advantage of video calls to catch up. “At first, I gave her insights into graduate school, and suggestions for courses to take,” says Boman. His recommendations guided Sharma to dig deep and discover her areas of interest before making educational commitments.
“He really helped me with my decision to pursue the Integrated MS/BS program,” stated Sharma. “He’d done it himself and it was good to be able to ask him questions specifically about CMU’s curriculum.” Additionally, Sharma utilized Boman to hold her accountable as she moved through the program. “It was also just nice to have someone to check in with every two weeks; it encouraged me to make progress.”
After years of talking online, Boman and Sharma finally had the opportunity to meet in person during Boman’s recent visit to Pittsburgh. While in town, he connected with Andrea Francioni Rooney at CEE and asked how Sharma was doing—and was shocked to discover that they were both on campus.
“We officially met years after completing the mentorship program—it was great to cross paths and catch up finally,” adds Boman. “I’m proud of her accomplishments and pleased that some of the advice I gave her about the professional workforce and school helped guide her to this place.”
With Sharma now graduated from the mentorship program and working as a Senior Consultant for Ricondo, Boman is open to helping another mentee. “Being able to connect to someone going through the engineering coursework is exciting—a mentor and a mentee help each other because it keeps me knowledgeable about what’s going on at the university while also helping a smart and driven student accomplish his or her goals.”
Boman’s positive experience inspired him to revitalize a languishing mentorship program within his company. Thirty individuals have already signed up for the program, and Boman is pleased with its quick success. “Mentorship doesn’t feel like work. It feels like just talking to a person and helping to guide them.”
Inspired by Boman, Sharma has also started volunteering as a mentor. For the past three years, she’s participated in mentoring programs with the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers.