Paying It Forward: Reflections from the SPP Alumni Mentorship Scheme

Our SPP alumni mentorship scheme strengthens our community by connecting experienced graduates with current students, offering guidance on professional development, industry insights, skill-building and career planning. Through practical advice, networking and encouragement, our mentors draw on their own alumni journeys to support students as they transition into the professional world.

To mark International Mentorship Day, we caught up with SPP alumna Signe Sorensen (Master of Public Administration 2014) to learn more about her experience as an SPP mentor and the value of “paying it forward”.

Can you tell us a few sentences about your career journey and studies at SPP?

I completed my MPA in International Development in 2014 and began my career as an international development economist, working with governments across sub-Saharan Africa. Over time, witnessing the tensions inherent in efforts to create positive change led me from technical policy work into coaching, and eventually to founding YCompassion, with a growing focus on the human and relational dimensions of change. The MPA’s emphasis on analytical rigour and reflective practice continues to shape how I engage with complexity, and reminds me that asking better questions is often more useful than having quick answers.

Why did you apply to be an SPP alumni mentor?

I’ve benefited enormously from the support and kindness of mentors throughout my own journey, and I wanted to contribute in the same spirit, very much with a “pay it forward” motivation. I’m also genuinely energised by engaging with people at moments of reflection and transition, and I find these conversations not only meaningful but deeply inspiring.

What is the best piece of advice or guidance you have received in your career?

The best advice I’ve received is to pay attention to what drains and what restores your energy, and to take that information seriously. Over time, this becomes a reliable guide for sustainable and meaningful work. While long-term plans have their place, they can also come with a lot of pressure. Shifting the question from “What is my single purpose?” to “What am I drawn to explore at this point in my career?” has given me far more freedom, flexibility and trust in my path.

What did your involvement in the alumni scheme involve?

My involvement with the scheme has so far centred on one-to-one mentoring conversations with three MPA students across different cohorts. These focused on navigating career questions, sectoral complexity within international development, as well as moments of overwhelm during the programme itself. I brought elements of my coaching practice into this work, focusing less on advice-giving, unless specifically requested and helpful, and more on asking thoughtful questions and supporting mentees in making sense of what felt most alive for them, and in identifying possible next steps in their journey.

What were the highlights from your experience?

Reconnecting with the MPA programme and the wider SPP community after ten years has been a real highlight, as has the opportunity to reflect on my own experiences and career choices. I particularly valued navigating the complexities of the international development and policy space together, and witnessing the wisdom and thoughtfulness of emerging professionals, which genuinely gives me hope and confidence in the future.

What advice would you give to students and alumni to make the most of being part of the LSE alumni community?

Approach the community with curiosity rather than comparison or transaction. We all have unique journeys, questions and passions, and there is so much potential for genuine connection and learning. Often, the most meaningful opportunities emerge from human conversations rather than strategic networking.

Reflecting on the scheme from a mentee’s perspective, one participant highlighted the impact of the relationship:

What would you say are the main benefits of the scheme?

We talked about our experiences and interests, and I immediately felt supported by her. As an LSE alumna, she understood what I was going through in a way nobody else in my environment could, and she was incredibly supportive of my self-discovery journey. Her way of asking questions helped me reflect more deeply and consider new opportunities. She not only suggested useful avenues for research, but her kindness and compassion were also soothing at a time when I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. She helped me remember to pause and appreciate what I had already achieved.

The mentorship programme brought me far more than I had anticipated. Our interactions were profoundly humane and helped me navigate my year at LSE. She was, and still is, a calming and reassuring voice during a period when everything around me felt like it was moving very quickly.