Eckerd College Pairs Students with Local Mentors in St. Pete

SAINT PETERSBURG, FL – Eckerd College's Career Mentor Program connects students with local professionals for year-long guidance. Assistant Director of Industry Development Maddy Nelson ’21 manages the program, pairing students with mentors through a detailed application process. Students outline their career interests and motivations, which Nelson uses to facilitate matches.

Marine science student Thea Rind ’26, who aims to stay in the Saint Petersburg area after graduation, sought a mentor with expertise in benthic ecology. Nelson paired her with alumnus Mark Mueller ’03, Chief Scientist at the Florida Institute of Oceanography and Founder of Sea to Sea Advisors. Mueller’s local residency and research experience aligned with Rind’s aspirations.

Rind and Mueller met monthly for a year, discussing resume building, graduate school options, and job prospects. Mueller, who relocated to the Tampa Bay area, actively participates in the Eckerd community. He emphasized the importance of self-advocacy, a key takeaway for Rind.

Rind now works as a research technician in Eckerd’s Galbraith Marine Science Laboratory. She establishes environmental baselines in the abyssal deep sea using benthic foraminifera as bioindicators, aiming to create a species atlas. Mueller, a beneficiary of his Eckerd education, mentors to give back to the college.