A mentorship programme launched this year to connect university students with banking and finance professionals has proven to be a success, according to organiser Citi. Some 140 students from local universities are taking part in the five-month programme that started in January this year. They come from a range of academic disciplines and were selected based on factors such as academic achievements, interest in the financial industry and potential as future leaders. The students were paired with mentors from Citi's staff based on their interests. The programme differs from other student internships offered by banks as these students do not work at Citi during their mentorship but receive more advice and counselling in the process. Said SMU economics and business student Ong Si Hao: "Through this programme, I am discovering where I might fit into the industry and how to set defined career goals that I can strive towards." While his mentor works in bancassurance, Mr Ong hopes to work in commodities trading when he graduates.