Costello MBA Executive Mentoring Program bridges experience and aspiration

When Q Miceli saw that the Costello College of Business at George Mason University was offering the Executive Mentoring Program as part of the CostelloMBA, she was all in. "I had just hit a point in my career where I started supervising more people and really wanted to get some perspective," she says.

Q Miceli, Costello MBA Student. Photo provided by Q Miceli.

Cynthia "Cindi" Stuebner, MBA '99, had recently left full-time employment to start a small business consulting firm for part-time work. "My experience at George Mason, getting my MBA, was really valuable and very positive," says Stuebner.

Miceli and Stuebner were matched through the MBA Executive Mentoring Program, which connects high-achieving Costello MBA students with accomplished C-suite executives who are Costello and George Mason alumni.

The program was developed and is run as a partnership between the Costello MBA and the Costello Alumni Chapter based on a mentoring program that Brad Stein, MBA '94, had implemented at his company several years ago. The MBA program matches the mentors and mentees according to the professional needs, interests, and aspirations of the student.

"Cindi's range of experience and the senior roles that she's held-she's been able to share with me all kinds of really valuable stories, anecdotes, and insights into how to be successful as a female executive, particularly when you are the only woman in the room or the highest-ranking woman in the room, and how to show up with a professional presence at meetings."

- Q Miceli, Costello MBA Student

Cynthia "Cindi" Stuebner, MBA '99. Photo provided by Cynthia "Cindi" Stuebner.

"Our Costello College of Business Alumni Chapter comprises alums with vast experience across a wide range of industries and a steadfast commitment to supporting our Costello students," says Stein. "It has been a pleasure working with the MBA program leadership to put this MBA Executive Mentoring Program together and to see the impact our alums have on the professional lives of our MBA students."

Stein says the program has evolved and expanded significantly since the fall 2025 pilot. "We expect continued growth as we demonstrate increasing value to our MBA candidates," says Stein. "Our alumni are prepared to support and sustain this momentum."

Rob Shaffer, who was completing a mix of online and in-person classes, really wanted to make sure he was taking advantage of everything that the MBA program had to offer. "I joined the MBA program to improve my soft skills and my ability to deal with people, and I really felt the mentoring program would be a great way to get some of the extracurricular benefits of the MBA program," he says.

Shaffer was paired with Peter Conlon, Executive MBA '96, who credits the Costello College of Business with changing the trajectory of his career. "I owe a great debt to the place, so I wanted to give back," says Conlon.

At least once a month, the 10 mentor-mentee pairs met to share experiences, ask questions, and work through challenges together. To ensure productive conversations, students determined the discussion topics in advance, allowing their mentors to come prepared for each meeting.

Rob Shaffer, Costello MBA Student. Photo provided by Rob Shaffer.

Despite the differences in their ages and experience levels, Stuebner and Miceli found that they approached their work in remarkably similar ways.

"Cindi's range of experience and the senior roles that she's held-she's been able to share with me all kinds of really valuable stories, anecdotes, and insights into how to be successful as a female executive, particularly when you are the only woman in the room or the highest-ranking woman in the room, and how to show up with a professional presence at meetings," says Miceli.

One situation in particular was causing Miceli considerable concern. She began to question whether a direct report she had hired was the right fit and was unsure how to address it. Turning to Stuebner, she received practical, actionable advice that helped her navigate and ultimately resolve the issue.

After recently transitioning to a larger, international company, an environment quite different from what he was accustomed to, Shaffer benefited from Conlon's big-picture perspective as he worked through unfamiliar challenges at work.

"I have a folder full of notes from some of Peter's wisdom because I want to remember and be able to go back and look through the different insights he shared," he says. "It is very nice to have somebody to talk to, to let you know you're not crazy sometimes."

Peter Conlon, EMBA '96. Photo provided by Peter Conlon.

Conlon was cognizant of what his role as a mentor meant; he was there to help Shaffer become more comfortable in his role. "A mentor-you gotta listen," he says. "That's probably the number one skill." Besides giving back and helping others, many mentors find that the program has helped their own careers and lives as they reflect on their own experiences and gain new perspectives. "It's just been extremely rewarding and has given me more optimism about what I can still contribute," says Stuebner.

Complementing a rigorous curriculum led by inspiring and knowledgeable faculty, the range of resources offered by the Costello MBA is designed to cultivate well-rounded leaders. Students benefit from mentors who bring deep professional expertise and a shared foundation as alumni, providing the support, clarity, and confidence needed to navigate their leadership paths successfully.

"At the Costello MBA, we continually strive to innovate across the full student experience by emphasizing learning that happens inside the classroom through market-responsive courses and stackable credentials, outside the classroom through experiential and hands-on learning, and beyond coursework through structured opportunities that support personal and professional growth," says Ioannis Bellos, director of the Costello MBA program. "By building on the ecosystem of a large public university and George Mason's extensive alumni footprint in the region, these initiatives create a distinctive advantage for our students."