Jacqueline Flickinger, ’20, moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 2024 for a position with Ford Motor Company as an assistant ecommerce specialist. Living out of state, she was looking for ways to still be part of the Golden Flash community.
That’s when she came across the Alumni Mentoring Program and had the opportunity to mentor three students from the School of Fashion. As a graduate of the fashion program herself, she was excited to share her experiences in the program, as well as her background in entrepreneurship and marketing, with current students.
“I love Ohio and wanted to reconnect with Kent State, build up my confidence and be helpful to people who were in the same situation as I was when I was at Kent,” Jacqueline said.
Shaping the Next Generation as a Mentor
Not only does the mentoring program create a bridge between alumni, students and Kent State, but it is a great way to sharpen leadership skills and to turn shared experiences into meaningful guidance.
“Students look for your guidance and direction,” Jacqueline said. “It was a full circle moment how I got where I was and then hearing their stories and involvement at Kent State.”
LaTesha Dukes, ’18, signed up to be a mentor because it reinforced who she was as a person, someone who loves giving back. She also had a previous connection with her mentee, Ivory Kendrick, ’26, a senior public health major with a concentration in health administration services, who she knew when he was in high school.
“We met or connected at least once or twice a month, depending on his needs—sometimes more during key moments like job searching or career decision points,” LaTesha said. “The most rewarding part was watching Ivory grow in confidence and direction over time.”
Meaningful Support for Mentees
Ivory Kendrick learned the value of networking by attending job fairs throughout his college career. “The mentoring program is a good way to network, plus LaTesha was from my hometown, Ravenna,” Ivory said. “It was valuable having someone to talk to and encourage you. I learned to be the change you want to see.”
Brittany Ochoa, ’26, who earned a degree in fashion merchandising, wanted to connect with a graduate with similar experiences as her. That’s when she found Jacqueline.
“I was looking for someone who understands me, my goals and pushes me,” Brittany said. “The best part was having a mentor who went through the same program as me.”
Jacqueline also helped Brittany discover various jobs she can pursue with a fashion merchandising degree.
“I was frustrated looking for jobs, and Jacqueline pushed me to try for new things and be more broad in my job search,” Brittany said. “I am now looking at jobs in the food industry like at Campbell’s, OLIPOP or Williams Sonoma.”
Flashes Connect to Network of Alumni
Kent State’s alumni mentoring program, Flashes Connect, matches Golden Flashes with an alumni mentor who can provide tools and resources to succeed at the university and in their careers. The program includes both alumni-to-alumni mentorship and alumni-to-student mentorship, and it is open to all alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of Kent State.
Interested in becoming a mentor or seeking guidance? There are various mentoring groups for specific programs and affinities, including the Fashion Alumni Chapter, Black Alumni Chapter and more. Please keep checking back as we add more groups this fall.
Alumni can sign up through our online mentoring platform, Flashes Connect. This digital community features an alumni and student directory, 鶹ѡnews feed, alumni events and so much more.
