Participants in the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska’s Mentoring Program say the relationships are working, and their feedback is helping BHECN shape the program’s next chapter.
In the program’s latest survey, mentees said the experience sharpened their behavioral health skills, gave them career-path clarity and deepened their connection to others in the field.
See BHECN 2025-26 mentoring program results.
Ninety-seven percent of mentees said their mentor was approachable and offered actionable advice, and 90% said their mentor remained engaged throughout the experience. Many described their mentors as valuable sources of guidance, encouragement, and real-world insight.
BHECN Director Marley Doyle, MD, also highlighted one of the most notable survey findings: the impact on mentors. “The mentors gained as much as they gave,” she said.
One mentor described the experience as giving them “purpose and worth to pour into the next generation of therapists.”
Of the mentors surveyed, 91% said mentoring positively influenced their professional work, and 89% would like to mentor again.
Participants also identified ways the program could become stronger. Mentees and mentors asked for tips on how they can make the most of their time together; more opportunities to connect in person or as a group; and more information about topics such as licensure, behavioral health careers and working with specific populations.
BHECN already has implemented this feedback. The program now provides welcome materials, a behavioral health career pathway guide and monthly discussion topics. A new mentoring newsletter offers additional guidance and resources throughout the year.
In-person opportunities are also expanding. A fall kickoff event held alongside the BHECN Scholars program gives participants an opportunity to meet, build connections and begin their mentoring relationships together.
“Participant feedback has directly shaped the program each year,” said Jessica Boren, BHECN mentoring program manager. “We want participants to feel supported while still giving each mentoring pair the flexibility to build a relationship that works for them.”
The Mentoring Program pairs undergraduate and graduate students pursuing licensed behavioral health careers with experienced psychiatrists, counselors, social workers and other licensed practitioners for monthly meetings, career guidance and professional connection.
Since launching in fall 2023 with 29 mentees in and around Omaha and Kearney, the program has grown to 65 matches, with applicants now connected to all six BHECN sites across the state. Participation also has expanded beyond counseling and social work students to include nearly every behavioral health discipline in Nebraska, including an increasing number of nursing students.
As the program grows, Boren said the survey results will help BHECN preserve its most valuable quality: the personal connection between mentors and mentees.
“We would love to grow the program without losing the personal touch that we currently have, the quality that we have,” she said. “We’re very intentional about those matches.” Applications for the 2027-28 mentoring cohort open in May 2027.