BlueSky Tennessee Institute’s mentorship program helps students build professional skills, gain confidence and learn from employees, leaders and executives who’ve navigated their own career journeys. In the program’s fifth year, the mentorship element has evolved into a community where former students are returning to help guide those following in their footsteps.
Mentoring takes place in person through monthly sessions held from October through April in conjunction with the company’s Welcome Wednesday events, taking advantage of a time when many employees are already on campus.
During each gathering, BlueSky students connect in small groups with BlueCross leaders and executives. Recently, this mentoring session expanded to include participants in the company’s Emerging Leaders development program, offering attendees an opportunity to gain perspectives from mid-career employees.
Guided conversation prompts help spark meaningful discussions. Questions may focus on topics such as recovering from mistakes, handling challenges on a team or navigating career growth.
“It’s really about giving mentors a chance to share their experiences while creating space for students to ask questions and engage in conversation,” Melissa said.
The format has multiple benefits: students gain exposure to a wider range of perspectives, while mentors can participate in a flexible, approachable way.
Melissa notes that students consistently value the opportunity to hear directly from employees and leaders across the company.
“They’ll sit down and start talking and realize they’re hearing from a vice president or another senior leader, or someone in an area of the company they’ve always been curious about,” she said. “They really enjoy those experiences.”
Graduates returning to give back
In the past year, several members of Cohort One, who graduated from the program in 2024, have joined leaders and employees around the table to share their own anecdotes and lessons learned. They’ve also found their own ways to connect outside of sessions.
“We just get to hear about their life…the struggles they’re having or the things they’re really enjoying about specific areas of the job,” said mentor and Cohort One graduate Joey Whitmire, who now works in the company’s project management area.
The Cohort One graduates are also able to pull from their own mentee experiences to support current students.
“In a really great way, we were able to make recommendations: ‘if you liked this, maybe this internship would be good for you or maybe this area would be good.’”
“We were also able to take what we learned [fr our own mentors] and translate it, pass it on in a more accessible way,” said Joey.
While alumni participation wasn’t part of the program’s original design, Melissa said it quickly became a valuable feature since current students see graduates as peers who recently walked the same path and overcame many of the same challenges they currently face.
“There is a different level of relatability and credibility,” she said. “Students know these are people who were in their seat not that long ago. They’re very tuned in to what they have to say because that’s their next phase. They’re thinking, ‘This is where I’ll be in a year. What can I learn from them now?'”
“[The students are] comfortable to actually talk to us and come to us if they have an issue or if they have questions,” said Cohort One graduate Ashley Alsip, an associate business analyst at BlueCross who serves as one of the mentors. “Sometimes they just need to hear that ‘it’s ok to have time to yourself and with your friends, to have that balance.’”
The Cohort One graduates who’ve served as mentors are quick to emphasize the value of connection, advising mentees to keep up their outreach and networking as they transition from student and intern to full-time roles.
“Be willing to cultivate relationships and talk to people in other areas,” said Cohort 1 graduate Kyah Dollinger, now an Application Support Specialist. “I’ve had people from multiple departments informally coach me in how to do my job and how to approach something differently, and that’s been invaluable.”
“I’ve been a full-time employee for over a year and a half, and I’m still learning tons of stuff,” said Kyah, who plans to continue serving as a mentor when the next series of meetings kicks off this fall. “My best advice is to always remain teachable, even when you have things that you can teach others.”
Looking Ahead
For Melissa, the evolution of mentorship reflects BlueSky Institute’s core goals: helping students develop not only technical and leadership skills, but also a commitment to serving others. She hopes to see more graduates choose to stay engaged with the program after completing it.
“We want students to leave understanding the importance of giving back,” she said. “Mentorship and relationships are a big part of that.”
She also hopes the mentoring experience continues to be a true exchange of perspectives, where students, alumni and long-time professionals all learn from one another. What began as an opportunity for students to learn from leaders is now a cycle of learning, connection and service.
“You have a new employee sitting at the table with seasoned employees, as well as a student, that’s a complete mutual learning experience,” she said. “It’s something really special.”
Alison has been a member of the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee corporate communications team since 2015. A Chattanooga native, her health care communications experience includes writing, editing, public relations and social media.