Nicholas Fleming is a St. Mike’s alumnus who graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto in 2019 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa in 2022. Nicholas is now a medical malpractice lawyer who represents patients and their families in claims against doctors, nurses and hospitals.
After finishing law school and returning to the Greater Toronto Area, I wanted to re-engage with the St. Mike’s community as an alumnus. St. Mike’s was my home as an undergraduate and is a place where I formed lasting relationships and added to the foundation of who I am today. As an alumnus, I wanted to give back to the community that had given so much to me as a student. So, when I saw that St. Mike’s was launching a new mentorship program called “AMPlify” in 2023, I jumped at the opportunity to join as a mentor.
AMPlify is a new program exclusive to St. Mike’s which allows upper-year undergraduate students to connect with alumni mentors to learn about the various career paths that exist after graduation. Students have access to a directory of mentors they can reach out to and request to meet virtually or in person for a quick discussion. What follows is up to each mentor and mentee: it could be a one-time meeting or the start of a more traditional mentorship relationship. Beyond the directory, the program also organizes several on-campus networking events for students and alumni to intermingle. It is a new mentoring approach that aims to give SMC students access to the incredibly talented and diverse St. Mike’s alumni community.
As a mentor, I had the opportunity to speak to students at several on-campus networking events and on one-on-one Zoom calls. I was able to share my experiences transitioning from science to law and the day-to-day expectations of law students with current St. Mike’s students who are interested in exploring careers in law. The program also allowed me to reconnect with the St. Mike’s community and campus, and I have met (and re-met) many fellow alumni. Being a mentor has been an incredibly rewarding experience and has allowed me to re-engage with the college and give back to this special community.
Having recently concluded its inaugural year, AMPlify is now back for its second year looking to build on the success of its first. For more information about the program and to enroll as a mentor, explore the AMPlify website here.
For any alumni reading this and wondering if they should get involved, I would recommend it without hesitation. The program allows you to get involved and give back in a way that allows you to make a real difference to current students while also controlling the time commitment.
I hope to see you at a networking event soon!
Read other InsightOut posts.