Mentoring is a globally recognised tool for students, offering a trustfull partnership with mentors – professionals in the field – actively share their knowledge and help the student to meet academic and professional challenges.
The mentoring programme offers the student an experienced person, usually an entrepreneur, who dedicates time and expertise to support, guide and advise. This collaboration enables the student to set and achieve goals.
The benefits of mentoring for students:
- Practical experience and contacts: mentoring gives students real experience and valuable contacts, enriching their understanding beyond theory.
- Accelerated professional development: Students who choose mentoring accelerate their professional development by learning from the experience of experienced mentors.
- Self-assessment: Mentoring stimulates self-assessment, enabling students to evaluate their abilities and overcome both academic and everyday challenges.
Each year RISEBA offers students the opportunity to participate in Speed Dating with a mentor to find the most suitable mentor for future collaboration.
RISEBA students currently have access to more than 80 mentors from different sectors and fields of activity.
We invite you to get to know some of the RISEBA mentors:
Aiva Spuņģe
Mentor’s experience:
Senior Executive – Member of the Board of Directors, Company Director for more than 10 years with experience in private and public sector, new business launches, strategic, operational and corporate management, as well as marketing. Graduated from RISEBA Master’s programme “Strategic Business Management”.
Mentor are passionate about continuous growth both professionally and personally and would be happy to support RISEBA students in the early stages of their careers.
Mentor provides support on the following topics: management issues and decision making; change management in challenging circumstances; goal setting, marketing and branding; media and public relations, corporate and individual development; human management – talent, motivation, communication; career development; self-development and various techniques to achieve personal needs.
Possible forms of cooperation: remote consultations in Latvian or English.
Anna Allena
Mentor’s Professional Experience and Support Offered to Students
Anna Allena is a graduate of RISEBA’s distance learning programme. She completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s studies in the Business Management programme, earning the qualifications of Business Manager and Organisation Manager. Alongside her academic progress, Anna worked in public administration for 12 years and now continues to develop her skills in the field of entrepreneurship.
During her studies, Anna demonstrated a determined attitude and a constant desire to grow. She actively participated in international student conferences on scientific research and artistic creativity “In Search of New Solutions in a Changing World”, where she presented her research, showing a deep interest in current societal and business challenges.
Anna continues to expand her knowledge in areas such as public procurement, human resource management, psychology, coaching, occupational safety, digitalisation, international communication, marketing, and project management.
Mentoring and Student Support
As a mentor, Anna pays special attention to students who begin their studies later in life. She understands from personal experience the challenges faced by mature students—lack of confidence, loss of motivation when difficulties arise, the struggle to balance work, family and studies, generational differences in perception, and the risk of losing a job during studies. In such situations, Anna offers not only practical advice but also genuine human support – the ability to listen, encourage, and, if needed, help find clarity in a difficult moment.
Anna is also open to working with younger students, offering mentoring based on empathy, experience, and mutual trust. Her support can be both structured and informal – a chat over a “virtual cup of tea” often provides just the spark needed to keep going.
Motto:
“Don’t stop – achieve your goals!”
Ways to Connect:
Remote: WhatsApp, Zoom, Email, Facebook
Languages: Latvian, English, Russian
Viktorija Mihaļčuka
Mentoring experience:
More than 13 years of business experience – Nordic Group business training and gamification company, (practicals.net/lv), educational game invention, production and training. Positions in the company – PR Director, Sales Manager, Chairman of the Board. Currently member of the Board of the Latvian Football Federation. She runs a private practice – Certified Supervisor, Supervisory Consultant; Organisational, Business and Management Psychologist (sports, education, business).
- Latvian Football Federation (lff.lv; since 2018), position in the past – Head of Administration
- Graduated from RISEBA programmes “Business Psychology”; “Management Psychology and Supervision”; Currently studying at RISEBA PhD programme “New Media and Creative Technologies”.
- Graduated from UEFA Academy programmes: “Certificate Football Management” UEFA CFM, “Women Football Leadership Programme” UEFA/FIFA WFLP; IMD Business School (Switzerland, Lousanne).
- Member of LSA (Latvian Association of Supervisors), LSPA (Latvian Association of Sport Psychology), LOPB (Latvian Society of Organizational Psychologists), UEFA Academy Alumni.
Motto: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken” (Oscar Wilde).
Possible forms of cooperation: in person and remotely, in Latvian, English, Russian.
Kaspars Gaļimovs
Mentor’s experience:
CEO of CostPocket startup in Latvia. Graduated from RISEBA with a Professional Bachelor’s degree in “Business Organisation and Management”. Mentor enjoys developing projects with significant added value, especially if they are related to technology solutions. Working endlessly on oneself towards the best version of oneself is an integral part of everyday life.
Mentor provides support on the following topics: self-growth, self-understanding, knowing what not to do in business, what to do in business, how not to get lost in the city nightlife, career building, overcoming fears, how to learn to respect yourself, developing self-confidence, ego control, I can probably also help with contacts and career development opportunities.
Possible forms of cooperation: both in person and remotely, in Latvian, English and Russian