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Paying It Forward with Mentorship

Deirdre Jordan, one of UCC鈥檚 more than 40 dedicated alumni mentors, graduated from UCC in 2005 with a BSc in Nutritional Sciences and currently works as a director in a global pharmaceutical company. An active traveller, exerciser, and host, she also enjoys personal and professional coaching, which drew her to the UCC Mentoring programme last year.

Deirdre was kind enough to share her reflections on mentoring UCC students, speaking about the fulfilling nature of giving back by guiding the next generation, the impact she hopes to make, and how a not-so-linear life path can be both fruitful and rewarding.

What inspired you to get involved mentoring UCC students?

I stayed connected to UCC early in my career through work with a probiotic company and the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre. Any excuse to come back to Cork鈥攚here I spent five formative years and made lifelong friends鈥攚as always a good one, so mentoring felt like a natural next step.  

What has your experience been like? 

I鈥檝e really enjoyed it. It鈥檚 been rewarding to share not just my career path, but the reality behind it鈥攐ver 20 years in life sciences and pharma, combined with a big interest in how we think, behave and make decisions. I particularly enjoy exploring topics like careers, confidence and leadership, and encouraging students to question some of the 鈥渄efault settings鈥� we often accept.  

What impact do you hope to make?  

If I can help someone feel a bit more confident, a bit more purposeful, or a bit less like they need to have everything figured out鈥攖hat鈥檚 a win. As a lifelong learner and strategist, I鈥檓 particularly interested in helping students 鈥渃onnect the dots鈥濃�攂oth in a practical sense (people, opportunities, experiences) and in how they think. Creating those connections, both physical and neural, can really shape how someone sees their path. Careers don鈥檛 have to be straight lines鈥攎ine certainly wasn鈥檛鈥攂ut with curiosity and a willingness to learn, things tend to come together.  

What does mentoring mean to you personally?  

Mentoring is a way of giving back to an institution and community that played a significant role in my life. It also aligns strongly with my belief that understanding yourself is one of the most powerful tools you can have. We are, ultimately, the most important tool in our own toolbox. Supporting students in building that awareness and backing themselves is something I find really meaningful.

Have you learned anything from mentoring?

Definitely鈥攊t鈥檚 never one-sided. It constantly reinforces for me the importance of self-awareness, connection and adaptability. Working in a fast-moving industry like pharma, I鈥檓 also seeing how AI is changing things, at pace. It also reminds me that human skills鈥攈ow we connect, influence and show up鈥攕till matter most.  

What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering?  

Go for it. You don鈥檛 need a perfect career story to be a good mentor鈥攊n fact, the more 鈥渞eal鈥� it is, the better. It鈥檚 a great opportunity to give back, reflect on your own journey, and hopefully make things a little easier for someone coming behind you.

What do you do outside of volunteering?

Since graduating from UCC, I鈥檝e completed an MSc in Clinical and Translational Research, an Advanced Practitioner Diploma in Coaching with Neuroscience, and certifications in areas such as Scrum Product Ownership, Training and Development, Mental Health First Aid, and Applied Neuroscience and Brain Health.

Is there anything else you鈥檇 like people to know about you or your journey?

I wasn鈥檛 exactly top of the class鈥攊n fact, I failed first year (a combination of too much freedom and not enough discipline!). I also wouldn鈥檛 call myself a 鈥渢raditional鈥� scientist, despite my degree.

My path hasn鈥檛 been linear鈥攑ersonally or professionally. I left my marriage at 34 and became a mother at 42, which has probably been my most rewarding (and humbling!) role to date. I鈥檝e built an enjoyable and purposeful career, driven by an interest in health and a purpose to help get medicines to patients. It鈥檚 been a squiggly path, with plenty of mistakes along the way, but it鈥檚 proof that you don鈥檛 need to fit a mould鈥攐r follow a timeline鈥攖o find where you add most value. I understand what it feels like not to be a 鈥渃lear fit鈥濃�攁nd that you can figure it out as you go.

Things don鈥檛 always happen in the order you expect鈥攂ut they often make sense when you look back.  

You can learn more about the UCC Mentoring programme on the UCC Advancement website. If you interested in becoming a mentor, please or contact alumni@ucc.ie.