Become a mentor and help develop the communications professionals of tomorrow. By sharing your expertise and helping others succeed, you’ll find mentoring an experience that’s both personally and professionally rewarding. The NYWICI Foundation Mentoring Program is structured to work around your busy schedule — so it’s not only gratifying, but easy as well.

How does the NYWICI Foundation Mentoring Program work?

Based on your personal profile, you’ll be matched with a mentee who will be chosen from among students or young professional NYWICI members interested in pursuing communications careers. NYWICI will provide you with training, coaching and support to help you make the most out of your mentoring relationship. Your one-year mentoring relationship will combine guided email messages between you and your mentee with periodic in-person meetings and group events. Utilizing e-mail as the primary mode of mentor/mentee interaction has the benefit of accommodating the busy schedules of both you and your mentee.

As a mentor, you’ll be asked to spend just a few hours each month sharing your real-life work experiences, listening to your mentee and providing her with encouragement, advice and resources.

What are the benefits to the mentee?

With the NYWICI Foundation Mentoring Program, your mentee will take an important first step toward a successful communications career. She’ll benefit for years to come in ways both professional and personal, and she will:

• Be inspired — by you!
• Gain invaluable insight into real communications careers and work experiences.
• Find out what it really takes to succeed in the business.
• Get new perspectives on life after college.
• Gain access to a valuable support network during critical stages of her academic and career development.
• Sharpen her career focus and learn about career success factors.
• Get exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences.
• Improve her interpersonal skills and self-confidence.
• Be challenged to go further, take risks, set new goals and achieve at a higher level.

What are the benefits to me, as a mentor?

• Raise your professional profile.
• Gain exposure to fresh new talent, technologies, energy and ideas.
• Improve your leadership, coaching, management and recruiting skills.
• Learn about the latest technologies and trends being used by today’s students and young professionals.
• Identify potential future employees.
• Be exposed to new and diverse thoughts, styles, personalities and cultures.
• Give back to NYWICI and the communications profession.
• Feel great that you’ve made a difference in the life of your mentee.
   

Who can participate?

To be a mentor, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a member of NYWICI in good standing (i.e. dues current)
• Have at least three years of experience in the communications industry.
• Have reliable and consistent access to the Internet.
• Commit to participating with your mentee in a consistent email exchange for at least one year.
• Be able to attend NYWICI Mentorship events (a training session and any scheduled social events).

Mentees must meet the following criteria:

• Be a student or young professional member in good standing of NYWICI (i.e. dues current)
• Be considering or pursuing a degree program in a communications field through an accredited high school, community college, college or university, or graduate program.
• Have reliable and consistent access to the Internet.
• Commit to participating with your mentor in a consistent email exchange for at least one year.
• Be able to attend NYWICI Mentorship events (a training and any scheduled social events).

How do I get started?

To be a mentor, start by filling out this detailed mentor questionnaire. You’ll be contacted to participate in personal or telephone interviews and reference checks.  The NYWICI Foundation Mentoring Committee will then match you with a mentee  from our applicant pool. You will then be notified by email and welcomed to the program. Get started today and become an NYWICI mentor!

Mentee candidates:

Please click here for more information on how to become a mentee.

For further information, contact:
Beth-Ellen Keyes
NYWICI Foundation Mentoring Chair
bekeyes@gmail.com